The face of the English quarterback Owen Farrell during the All Blacks haka was a warning: the English were sure of themselves, they could beat New Zealand. And did it brilliantly (19-7), after a match they controlled from start to finish. The All Blacks, however, had not experienced defeat in the competition since the quarter-final lost to France in 2007 (20-18), after which they had aligned 18 success ... But they delivered a much too bland performance for succeed in doubting a XV of the Rose eager to erase the nightmare lived in 2015.
Owen Farrell pulls out his best head from Owen Farrell during the haka
This match is going to be huge pic.twitter.com/C4vB19p1qD
Four years earlier, the English had indeed watched the New Zealanders lift the Webb-Ellis trophy home on the lawn of Twickenham, after being out the door of "their" World Cup, eliminated in hens for the first time of their history - also a first for an organizing country.
The turnaround is spectacular and the main architect is the Australian Eddie Jones, called to the rescue to restore order in the house after two failed World Cups (with elimination in the quarterfinals in 2011). An experienced technician, already consultant to South Africa in 2007 during the coronation of Springboks in Paris, who clearly displayed his goal by taking the reins of the XV of the Rose at the end of 2015: a second world title in Japan, after the one won in 2003 by the band of Jonny Wilkinson.
Eddie Jones believes in omens
It remains a step to cross to the English, the highest, facing Wales or the Springboks, opposed Sunday. An opportunity that England, the only European team crowned world champion in the previous eight editions, does not intend to let slip. To achieve this, the English will again rely on robust and conquering fronts, like the brothers Vunipola, the spectacular second line Maro Itoje or the unstoppable pillar Kyle Sinckler, who shoved the New Zealanders in half -final.
"We were dominated in the groupings, they advanced on the impacts, and suddenly, when the decisions were 50/50, they went in their favor.We also made the kind of mistakes that we do not commit. when we are in front of the score we have been stopped in touch, there is no shame to lose against a good team like that, but it hurts, "said New Zealand coach Steve Hansen after the defeat .
This clear domination allows England to play a fourth World Cup final (1991, 2003, 2007). Eddie Jones has a week to prepare for the game and remind his players that their only goal is to bring the Webb Ellis Cup to London. And this affable man, 59, a child of a Japanese-American mother, will not fail to stress the importance of this appointment. Le Figaro explained how this former history and geography professor had established a link this week between the recent enthronement of Naruhito, Japan's new emperor, and his team's journey. "It's a historic change, a page in Japan's history that is turning, and it's also a page in the history of the World Cup that's going to turn. believe in omens. " No doubt, the rebounds are the coach of the XV of the Rose in this competition.