Dad's Army under constant fire on all fronts

Gerry Thornley On Rugby: The phoney war, for the most part continues apace. There've been embarrassments along the way. Channel 7's heavily-panned coverage, with sumo presenter Chris "Buddha" Handy and a panel comprising of an ex-player (Stu Wilson), a swimmer and a comedian. England's lycra Nike shirts, two years to design, two minutes to come apart and, most of all the national anthems. Eh, "operatic" in theory, they've even made Le Marseilles numbingly devoid of passion.

Everything has gone utterly to form. Yet the rugby's been enjoyable thus far. The referees have, if anything veered overtly towards the defending side at the breakdown and against the ball carrier, which has often sparked an unseemly scrap for the ball. Although, by and large, this has been better than watching endless passages of recycling, and much of the attacking rugby has been more inventive and direct than expected, defences so far are not dominating as they did four years ago.

And you'd want to be a cold-hearted observer not to enjoy Japan's tilt at the Scots and the French, as well as Tonga's effort against Wales. It can't all be about heavyweights crashing into each other. The game gets a repetitive diet of that anyway.

Variety is what the World Cup should be about in the early stages, as is exposing the likes of Fijian flyer Rupeni Caucau ("So quick they can't remember his name," according to Canadian coach Dave Clark) and Japan's Montferrand Daisuke Ohata (who scored the try of the tournament four years ago against Wales).

Admittedly, some of the mismatches have been a bore. The scores keep coming, thicker and faster than ever before in a World Cup. But at times it's been more of an unseemly glut than a feast (Australia and Romania being a case in point). Hence, predictably and ironically, the most competitive and most meaningful match so far has also been the lowest scoring. England's 25-6 win over South Africa provoked more debate and discussion than any other pool tie out here, with the possible exception of the Wallabies' tournament opener against Argentina. And, as expected it's been utterly anti-English.

You'd really have to be here to appreciate the level of Pom-bashing. In the early stages, not a day went by without mention of Dad's Army, in reference to the English pack.

Then last week John Eales instigated a daily campaign on the supposedly vexed question of England's sometimes illegal maul, pointing out that as Neil Back is sometimes only in contact with the shield of forwards in front of him with an extended arm, as opposed to his shoulders or body, then it is either a case of obstruction or the referee should deem that ball is "out", thereby permitting opponents to tackle Back and play the ball. The claims had some validity, which even Clive Woodward conceded, but they were clearly orchestrated, given Eddie Jones, Bob Dwyer (surprise, surprise) and John "Knuckles" Connolly all chipped in.

Television presenters and pundits ("go on the Bokkes", said one) predicted a win for the Springboks. However the Monday morning splurge in response to England's win took the biscuit.

"Is that all you've got?" screamed The Australian's sports supplement, carrying a full page picture of Jonny Wilkinson following through off his kicking tee. "It's been blown wide open" was the heading on the Sydney Morning Herald's sports cover. "Poms Exposed" reckoned the back page lead in the tabloid Daily Telegraph.

This prevailing verdict was backed up mostly by George Gregan's assessment, "they showed that they are like every other team, they are susceptible under a lot of pressure. They made a lot of fundamental errors. Their top players do make mistakes under pressure, everyone makes mistakes. They're not unbeatable. No one is unbeatable. The top teams in the world can knock each other off on any given day. That was in evidence (on Saturday)."

All Blacks' tighthead Dave Hewett highlighted "a fairly dominant" South African scrum, Springboks scrumhalf Joost van der Westhuizen (despite his own undistinguished performance and a 19-point beating) ventured: "What I picked up tonight is that England are very vulnerable, they're beatable." The South African captain Corne Krige revealed, "At one stage I heard them shouting at each other, and swearing at each other." But that could more readily be described as a sign of strength. All the best teams ball each other out, especially when in bother or not playing well.

France's Bernard Laporte was closer to the mark when observing "South Africa were far more active in the game than the English. But who won? The English."

Besides, as Martin Johnson opined, no one remembers how anyone gets to semi-finals, and with Samoa, Georgia and Wales or Italy to come, England are as good as there now.

For sure, England creaked a little under pressure, even Wilkinson looked rattled in the first half. Aggressive, crowding defence can unhinge them and it would have been very interesting had Louis Koen not missed four successive penalties.

Trailing by 12-6 or 15-6 at the break would have forced England to create more than they did, which was very little, and one charge-down try and the unerring accuracy and assuredness of Jonny Boy steered them home. But what it also showed was England can win ugly, and, as the astute Eales observed during the second half, England have settled combinations to pull them through a crisis, the innate knowledge of what each player can or will do. An unsettled Springboks side do not, hardly surprising given they haven't picked the same side for two games running in four years. England will also improve with the return of Richard Hill at the breakdown and Matt Dawson at the base. In deference to Kyran Bracken, who passed ponderously all night and looked unsure, he is troubled by a back strain.

Saturday's encounter in Perth was also a reminder that when the going gets tougher and tighter, goal-kicking will become more important, and there has never, ever been anyone better in the game than Wilkinson.

In the meantime, to compound their injury woes, the All Blacks have a dilemma in that Daniel Carter has impressively assumed the goal-kicking duties from Carlos Spencer, but how will John Mitchell accommodate the peerless Aaron Mauger when he recovers from injury?

Quite what the Dad's Army-style pom-bashing achieves is also a moot point. All grist to Woodward's mill, one should imagine, not to mention Johnson, Back, Lawrence Dallaglio and co. The media campaign also suggests the hosts, along with everyone else, are worried. They've every right to be. ...

gthornley@irish-times.ie