England focus on RWC match balls
By Stuart Condie, 16 Sep 2011 Stuart Condie is a Roar Rookie
- Tagged:
- England rugby, Rugby Union, Rugby World Cup
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England will be trying hard to break in the match balls for Sunday’s Rugby World Cup encounter against Georgia to try to avoid a repeat of the missed kicks that could have cost the side dearly against Argentina.
Between them, England and Argentina succeeded with just six of 17 kicks at goal at Otago Stadium, with the usually accurate Jonny Wilkinson missing five of eight shots.
Teams only get to practise with the match balls a day before each World Cup game – each being allocated four from the set of eight – so England will be striking their share more than usual in an effort to increase the size of the so-called sweet spot that kickers aim for.
“The sweet spot is always in the same place, it’s just how small it is. When it’s new, it’s just a bit smaller,” said Toby Flood, who could replace Wilkinson at flyhalf for the Pool B match. “They are the same Gilbert Virtuo as in the Six Nations. It’s the same piece of equipment. I just think it’s because they are a bit fresher at game time.
“When we are at home, we’ll probably kick them in for a few days, whereas here, it’s just an hour or so, so they behave slightly differently.”
Had Argentina capitalised on one of their two half-openings or succeeded with more of their own kicks, the missed shots at goal could have left England embarrassed against the Pumas.
England trailed 9-3 but outlasted the physical Argentine forwards to triumph 13-9 through Ben Young’s try, which Wilkinson converted.
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The Crowd Says (12) | Page 1 of Comments
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- Explore:
- England rugby, Rugby Union, Rugby World Cup
September 16th 2011 @ 9:55am
mitzter said | September 16th 2011 @ 9:55am | Report comment
So the whole english team is focusing on this??
Surely they should focus on scoring tries and leave that to Johnny and his understudy
September 16th 2011 @ 10:52pm
Ben S said | September 16th 2011 @ 10:52pm | Report comment
So… You think the whole English team is focusing on the balls, or just Flood and Wilkinson?
September 16th 2011 @ 10:24am
Carl Wells said | September 16th 2011 @ 10:24am | Report comment
Why do the match balls have to be so new? Is it to remove any risks of tampering or something? If so couldn’t they put in a tumble dryer or something before their game to give them a bit more flexibilty?
September 16th 2011 @ 2:26pm
Moaman said | September 16th 2011 @ 2:26pm | Report comment
Maybe if they were focussing on their balls the other night Tindall wouldn’t be in so much trouble?
September 16th 2011 @ 3:30pm
warrenexpatinnz said | September 16th 2011 @ 3:30pm | Report comment
Bugger, saw the article headline and went to jump in with a smart comment buttttt beaten to it by the Moaman! Good stuff mate.
September 16th 2011 @ 3:32pm
AdamS said | September 16th 2011 @ 3:32pm | Report comment
? I would have throught it was the focus on their balls (or thereabouts) that got him into trouble
September 16th 2011 @ 3:40pm
warrenexpatinnz said | September 16th 2011 @ 3:40pm | Report comment
Martin Johnson must be privately seething that the first night on the turps and the England Captain makes a fatal media mistake.
Remember pictures of the ABs frolicking in France at a five star resort? Negative press sucks at the RWC hence why teams go all out for public appearences and feel good stories.
September 16th 2011 @ 3:45pm
johnny-boy said | September 16th 2011 @ 3:45pm | Report comment
Have just seen the cctv photo with the ‘supposed’ Mike Tindall with his head down in cleavage enjoying himself. If it is him he’s a very very naughty boy
. It must be a mata hari job.
September 16th 2011 @ 3:46pm
warrenexpatinnz said | September 16th 2011 @ 3:46pm | Report comment
Free drinks for the girl, her name wouldn’t be Suzie by any chance?
September 16th 2011 @ 3:53pm
johnny-boy said | September 16th 2011 @ 3:53pm | Report comment
Nothing surer Warren. She’s aged well tho – artificial enhancement maybe ?
September 16th 2011 @ 5:02pm
B-Rock said | September 16th 2011 @ 5:02pm | Report comment
England dont even need Cipriani to lead them astray.
While not that big of a deal, why would you be out during the RWC if you were the English squad – the tabloids must absolutely love this stuff – these blokes clearly dont care what is written about them as they cant be dumb enough to think this wouldnt get to the press.
Just puts heaps more pressure on them to win – if they lose (not to Georgia of course, they could still beat them while on the terps) this will keep getting brought up by fans/the press/etc with some justification.
September 16th 2011 @ 3:54pm
warrenexpatinnz said | September 16th 2011 @ 3:54pm | Report comment
Botox mate, lots and lots of botox