Easter: 'Win won't be enough'
Fri, 21 Nov 2008 21:01
England No.8 Nick Easter admits that a victory over South Africa on Saturday won't come close to making amends for his country's World Cup final defeat to the Springboks.
Easter is one of only three players in England's starting XV at Twickenham this weekend who began the final in Paris last October.
The 30-year-old knows England had only themselves to blame for that 15-6 as they were punished for giving away a series of kickable penalties and the memory remains as painful now as it was 13 months ago.
"It was suicidal. We gave away some penalties that night which we should never have given away and we lost by nine points," Easter said.
"There is regret. I remember [Rugby Football Union director of elite rugby] Rob Andrew spoke to the guys afterwards and said: 'You'll never get over it'.
"I don't think you should be able to get over it. If you do, there is something wrong. The burning desire is obviously lost from within you if that happens.
"However well we do tomorrow, it won't compensate for the final but that is now gone.
"We are looking forward to the future. This is a new England. Things have started well off the pitch. We could have done with a win against Australia last week but we are looking to make amends."
Easter, who has 18 caps for England, has faced the Springboks four times and lost every time.
"I've been on the receiving end of three hidings from them," Easter said. "This is a new team and I suppose a lot of the guys aren't scarred from that. It hasn't affected me - I have a chance to play the world champions in our own backyard tomorrow and get one over on them."
It was only in July Easter appeared to have dropped out of the England reckoning after being relegated from the senior squad to the Saxons but he has quickly bounced back.
"I was happy with the way I played last season but was unfortunate to break my hand against the Barbarians in the last game before England went out to New Zealand and I had to come home again," he added.
"Luke Narraway and James Haskell played well out there. When (England manager) Martin (Johnson) phoned me up, I said: 'I will carry on working hard, get a really good pre-season and I'll be ready to go again.'
"Missing the tour didn't seem like a good thing when I found myself in the Saxons but in the end it was."
It may not be enough but it will go some way to healing the pain - can England pull it off?
AFP
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