As recently as a few months ago you would have got long odds on England and Wales becoming the first two teams to qualify for the quarter-finals of the World Cup. By this stage it should go without saying that they are in the kinder side of the draw, but for both teams it is an impressive achievement when you measure it against where they have come from this year.
England have qualified for the quarter-finals with a game to spare, having dropped only one point and conceded one try, so whichever way you look at it, it is a great achievement. Every time I give England credit I hear excuses: “Well, Argentina were desperately poor” or “Well, Chile are no good”. But at some point can we just appreciate England for what they are doing?
