'Disappointed but immensely proud' - England coach Steve Borthwick gutted with World Cup semi-final loss to South Africa
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Published 22/10/2023 at 10:23 GMT
Doubted before the tournament, England were devastated to exit the Rugby 2023 World Cup at the semi-final stage following a last-gasp defeat to reigning champions South Africa on Saturday evening. Coach Steve Borthwick told the media that he was "gutted" with the loss but remained proud of his players. An excellent England performance wasn't enough to overcome an impressive Springboks side.
Highlights as South Africa beat England in semi-finals of Rugby World Cup
England coach Steve Borthwick spoke with great pride after watching his young team slip to a last-gasp defeat in the Rugby World Cup semi-final against South Africa.
After being widely doubted before the tournament, Borthwick's team made a deep run in the tournament but were halted at the penultimate stage by the reigning world champions in Paris.
The Springboks needed a 77th-minute penalty to overhaul England, ultimately qualifying for next weekend's final against New Zealand with a 16-15 win.
Immediately after the match, Borthwick spoke emotionally about the loss.
He said: "I care an awful lot for the players so I'm gutted for them. I really care deeply about English rugby and our supporters. There have been some tough times and we have work to do but you will see just how much those players care about representing their country."
Continuing, Borthwick admitted that England had been confronted by an excellent South Africa team.
He said: "In any game like this you have to credit the opposition, who found a way to win at the end. South Africa are current world champions and world number ones for a reason."
Belief in England may have been in short supply outside Borthwick's camp before the tournament, but he says his team did not lack for confidence ahead of Saturday's match.
He said: "We thought we were going to win tonight and we came here believing we would win. The players deserve enormous credit for that.
"I think the tens of thousands of England fans watching here tonight and the millions watching at home will be very proud of their team."
Borthwick was looking to the future with his squad selection, opting for youth over experience in many cases.
After the loss in Paris, England's coach continued in that vein.
He said: "We have a very smart group of players that are learning very quickly because we have had to do it very quickly. The opposition have had four years and we have had four months. That is why the players deserve enormous credit.
"I asked the players to approach the training differently and they have embraced that. In that 23-man squad, we have seven players aged 25 or younger. That is the most of any of the semi-finalists so we have a great blend of experience and young players."
He summed up his feelings simply, saying: "We are disappointed but immensely proud of these guys and we'll build going forward."
England captain Owen Farrell seemed to struggle to find too many words in an emotional moment, but he agreed with his coach. He said: "I’m not going to talk too much about the game, I want to say I’m proud of the group, the fight we put in today and the spirit – I want to thank the lads and I hope we made the people back home proud.
"It’s been a bit of a rollercoaster all the way through, but the team has a bright future."
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