gungehammer says...

@efti - I don't recall seeing McCaw say that anywhere. Can you provide proof?

Posted 13:14 22nd December 2011

fattysock says...

I understand when fans (or foes) pull the "chocker" tag on the ABs, but when apparently serious writers do it, it really starts to irk me. It really does a disservice to the teams that beat us to say dat.

1991. We were really much better than Aus leading into that WC to say that the only way they could beat us was if we choked? Of course not. They were a great side... shown by the fact they won 5 from 6 tests vs us between 1990 and 1992. That was definitely not a choke. Aus were better than us.

1995. We lost, in extra time, to South Africa, our greatest rivals, in South Africa, in possibly the most emotional match in history. How that is a choke I will never know.

1999. France were amazing in that second half. Perhaps a choke, but more likely one of the best attacking performances ever. Did we start throwing stupid passes etc (the kind of things you do in a choke situation)? No... France just became unstoppable.

2003. We lost to Aus, in Aus. No shame in that. Eng were defo the best team in the world at that point, and Aus took them to extra time in the final - so they can't have been bad themselves!

2007. Again, perhaps a choke... but we also couldn't catch a break in that game. We had BOTH our 10s injured! The French defence was outstanding...

We have lost 5 games in WC history. All of those games have been to teams that regularly beat us. If that is choking, then this year SA choked, Eng choked, Ireland choked, Wales choked, Aus definitely choked, Scotland choked, Argentina choked etc etc.

Choking is not when you lose to a good side that you often (but not always) beat. It's when you stop doing the basic things correctly. In 2007 we kept doing the basics brilliantly - we just couldn't get through the French defence (as it was amazing)... so if anything, we choked MORE in 2011 (and just got lucky) than ANY of our WC defeats, if you ask me.

Posted 12:07 22nd December 2011

fozza says...

@efti... French much?

@telltales_ie chokers of the year, really has to be Scotland who were ahead in two important games to qualify and blew it in the last moments. If that's not high scale enough then between England and Ireland. Both unbeaten in pool matches, both with well known, emminently beatable opponents in the quarters but then lost (England shade this one in my eyes).

Controversial decision of the year, I think at the time we were all appalled but now, with hindsight and the definition of the rules involved, we're all agreed that the decision was correct as Efti says.

I think the game of the year should actually have been the Heineken Cup final between Leinster and Northampton. Fantastic comeback from the Irish Province which pained me as an Englishman who whilst supporting Bath would love to have seen the Heineken cup in England.

And no special award for services to the media for the RFU? The amount of stories they've provided this year and nothing?

Posted 11:11 22nd December 2011

chinstan says...

Surely France are more deserving of comeback of the year? They were in complete melt down and totally written off after the group stages but came within a drop goal of denying NZ the title! Wales beat Ireland big deal. They started the year ranked 9th and finish 8th WOW!

Posted 10:45 22nd December 2011