A bit on the rugby

Well, it's almost 5am here, I'm busy watching England knock France out of the World Cup (online, text updates), and I am reminded of a joke that did the rounds before the 2003 RWC.

It's an hour before the RSA-ENG match, and Johnny Wilkinson is sitting in the changeroom looking kind of dejected. His team-mates ask what the problem is, and he says he's battling to get himself motivated for the game. He feels that the challenge is gone. So the guys say ok, how about he plays the game on his own, and they all go "down pub". At this obviously he perks up a little.

So a couple of hours later, the lads are all in the pub, and they decide to see what the score is. They flick on the TV, and with 10 minutes to go, it's 6-3 to England. The guys are obviously well impressed, and they head back to the grounds to congratulate Johnny. They get there, final score 6-6, and find Johnny looking very down.

What the hell man, you've just held the whole RSA team to a draw - you should be ecstatic. (they say). Johnny says "Oh no, that's not it. I got sent off in the 12th minute".

Cue laugh tape.

Now that was a bit of a dig at the RSA 2003 squad, but today it could just as easily be a comment about how bloody good this guy is. And he's not any more, really. But for some reason, when he's on the field, England play like real rugby players, not the under-watered daisies we played a month ago.

Obviously we've still got a job to do tomorrow, against Argentina, but if we meet England in the final, I think it's going to be a very different game to the pool stages. Captain Obvious strikes again!