Match Day Thread England v New Zealand

Out of interest, can anyone think of a better performance by an England team in a major tournament in any of the main four team sports (football, cricket, league and union)? Given the level of opposition, the occasion and the sheer dominance on display, I don't think I can.

 

World Cup 1966? Also I thought the Ashes series in 2005 and 2010-11 were pretty good but it's a bit like comparing apples with pears. This performance vs NZ was almost certainly the most powerful I've ever seen.

 

The Ashes series weren't major tournaments (I was thinking more World Cups, European Championships, etc...). I think that this performance against the Kiwis would have been the equivalent to England beating a Brazil side with Pele in top form 3-0 at some point in the 1966/1970 tournaments (while winning in 66 was undoubtedly a terrific achievement, we didn't at any point batter an outstanding side, and we also had home advantage). I know it's pointless/futile comparing in a way, I just wondered if an England side had played so well against such feted opposition in a major tournament. The best I could come up with was the Netherlands in Euro 96, though the Dutch were in one of their 'internal division' phases so it's a few notches down from the win on Saturday.

 

The Dutch at Euro 96 was my first thought, but it was in the Group stages so it wasn't at the same level as a semi final.

 

Or could it be that NZ had an offday as well?

 

No.They were outplayed, out fought and out thought. Of course you may know more than the All Black coach who was gracious in defeat and said they were outplayed and the better team won.
Though the GB Lions performance against Tonga must have been more impressive. Mentioned in the HDM but no mention of England beating NZ in it. Needless to say the GB Lions was mentioned before the England rugby union team tonight. People asked to phone in to discuss the GB Lions but not the team which has got to a World Cup Final.

 

Much as I enjoyed winning the World Cup in 1966 (would love to back and relive 1966 for a host of reasons)we did have a lot of advantages and home countries have a good record in World Cups. To me this was the best performance of any England team.

 

Really?

I expected him to say "I got my team selection and tactics wrong with Beauden Barrett, and we were a little too complacent on the day, which is down to me as coach.."

 

Didn’t hear the intro. Started listening when the programme started. Though the World Cup has hardly got a mention on Sportstalk over the past few weeks and none in the HDM. The usual preponderance of stuff about RL, which is of less interest outside the Hull boundaries.
Notice how when the first caller rang in saying how he had enjoyed the game on Saturday, immediately it switched to discussion of how the GB Lions would fare against NZ instead of discussing England’s win and how they will get on in the final?

 

The combo of England beating Portugal in the semis and West Germany in the final is well up there in stature as far as beating what were viewed as superior teams at the time. You may even include Argentina in the QF as quite a coup. No walk-overs admittedly, but you could argue that the Kiwis had a bit of an off-day on Saturday.

 

If you know anything about rugby you recognise that England performance as one of the best of all time. NZ didn’t play a bad game but were suffocated by a perfect defensive line.

 

Viewed by superior teams by who at the time? I don’t think you can argue NZ had an off day. They weren’t allowed to have an on day.

 

I know nothing about rugby, and won't waste my time watching watching it unless there's nowt else on.

 

Here speaks the narrow, parochial, insular resident so unfortunately so prevalent in Hull. No wonder it doesn’t have the success of some more forward looking cities I could mention.

 

I love pretty much all sport, but nothing comes close to the intensity of top level international Rugby Union.

 

Define 'success' in the above context.

 

Pickles.

 

Have England peaked in the semi final or do you expect them to go on and beat SA?