SPECTATOR SPORT
Dazzling defeat
Frank Keating
There was no mistaking via television satellite, however, that down at the Cape of Good Hope England's mightily optimistic XV had its pretensions utterly ransacked on Sunday.
Leading 35-3 with 20 minutes left, the astonishing New Zealanders wrapped up their master-class, eased off the gas, and jogged through to conserve their energies for this Saturday's final against the hosts in Johannesburg. It allowed England's bemused and battered valiance to post some sort of respectability on the score- board, for their grandchildren's sakes at least. But the fact is that by then the All Blacks had missed kicks enough and a hat- ful of other chances, that had they reached 60 points, not even St George himself could fairly have grumbled.
As it was, an England team had never conceded more points in an international match in all the 124 years since the merry mayhem was first begun — at Edinburgh's Raeburn Place on 27 March 1871, when Scotland won by a goal and a try to a try, `because we were,' said the Scotsman, 'far more the efficient in combination, and sus- taining in stamina.'
Hitherto, the 42 points England conced- ed, ten Junes ago and also against New Zealand, at Wellington, had been their highest losing tally. Stuart Barnes was Eng- land's fly-half in that match. The following winter, he had yielded his place (to all intents, for good) to Rob Andrew. Barnes has since become a welcome and talented addition to our press bench. In Monday's Daily Telegraph he despaired of England's blinkered caution in the face of New Zealand's dazzling all-court game.
A side with the ability to beat the world had reverted to a team content to win the ball and kick it back to them. Percentage without panache can only prevail against medi- ocrity. . . against Australia the week before, Rob Andrew made himself a national hero with a moment of consummate skill and extraordinary nerve. The tunnel vision that enables Andrew to keep his cool under incredible pressure is also the reason why England could not do themselves' justice against a side of quality.
Mind you, wisdom after the event is all very well — in which context it is satisfying that this little back-page corner warned ominously about the youthful might and wizardry of New Zealand's charging rhino Jonah Lomu, three weeks ago.
Whethez .he ,and his fellow Blacks can strike with such voluptuous vigour two weeks running is anybody's guess. I some- how doubt it. Many of you reading this will know the result of the final already. What is certain, however, is that the hosts, South Africa, have been primed for this moment for two long decades in isolation, being fed all the while on neat four-star super-plus adrenalin. It is a heady brew.
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