So they weren’t the most handsome England team to take to the pitch or the most charismatic, daring, devilish or successful. They didn’t put 19 points on the All Blacks in the semi-finals, didn’t go the length of the field to score in the far corner against Australia in the quarters, didn’t win the World Cup with a drop goal off the wrong foot in the last minute of extra time. But when it was all over, after one last, long, 80 minutes against Argentina at the Stade de France on Friday, they were happy and proud with what they had done these past few weeks, ready to toast what they had won and lost together.
Six days earlier, England were nine points up with 12 minutes left to play against South Africa in the semi-final. Painful as what happened next was, and will always be, the players who will not get another chance are old enough, and honest enough, to know their team was not quite good enough to take that one. The players who will get another now know that much more about what they will need to do when it comes. This side had grit and smarts and a set piece and a screw-you attitude. It got them about as far as was fair. Further, even, if you ask the Ireland and France fans who booed them all through Friday night.
