[captainnemo]

So the rugby guys have managed to figure in 2 finals (consecutively) during 6 quadrennial tournaments while the England football team have managed a solitary appearance in the past 60 years....and they say comparisons are odious!!

The England rugby team demonstrated that when a team play as a unit rather than a collection of individuals, the sum can be greater than the parts.

Given the questionable quality of many of the 'parts', the main question about the England football team is why so many persist in believing that they can compete at international level. Donkeys led by a mule, as opposed to the lions of rugby who rose to the occasion on demand rather than capitulate to the statistical analysts. On paper, the rugby guys had no business being in the final while the football team had no reason to fear Russia. Since the real game takes place on the pitch any analysis has to consider committment and other variables which go some way to explaining why our football team (over-rated, over-hyped and essentially uncompetitive internationally) will continue to disappoint us.

Alonso has commented that it would be pitiable if Hamilton got the F1 championship on the basis of a challenge to the fuelling of minor players. Similarly it is pitiable that England football now relies on the mistakes of others to have a chance of qualification for Euro 2008.

The rugby guys won their right to be in the final, beating quality opposition like Australia and France to get there. Once in the final, they lost to a superior team and there is no shame in that, the rugby world championships produced some memorable games and a worthy champion team with our guys providing a credible challenge on the night. Talk about a no-lose situation!!