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Message: [QUOTE="teabagyokel, post: 6257, member: 26"] [font=Comic Sans MS]The ELVs have been a very good example of what you're talking about in my opinion. Weren't they cooked up in somewhere in the Southern Hemisphere (imo to try to crock England!) But there again, it didn't work. Many people watch rugby union for the brute force involved, and I don't think there is any doubt that the England 2007 RWC story is one of the greatest stories in sport. [BOX=400]If you aren't familiar with the 2007 RWC story: England were World Champions but had lost most of their 2003 players due to injury and retirement. The average age of the England squad was into the thirties and one hack pointed out "England won the World Cup with [i]"Dad's Army"[/i], they're defending it with [i]"Last of the Summer Wine"[/i]!" England opened up with an embarrasing 28-10 victory over the minnow United States of America, who would eventually finish bottom of Group A. That Friday night they were due to play the Springboks of South Africa. Injuries to fly-halves Wilkinson and Barclay meant they would play without a regular fly-half. As it turned out, England were outclassed and humiliated. A 36-0 defeat (making them only the fourth (I think) team to be nilled in a RWC match) was as embarassing as the scoreline suggests. A debate before the match about who would be the goal kicker turned into a moot point as England didn't get a kick at goal. Despite still being in the group phase, England were essentially playing knockout rugby. A meeting took place where frank words were exchanged and tactics changed. Jonny Wilkinson was also back from injury and Andy Gomarsall took over at scrum-half. It took less than a minute against Samoa for stand-in captain Martin Corry to score a try in a 44-22 victory over the Samoans. There were signs of the trouble Samoa had caused the World Cup winners in Englands 35-22 win back in 2003, but England all of a sudden looked back on their feet. Next up were Group A's surprise package, Tonga, in another do-or-die fixture. Tonga had defeated the Samoans with 14 men and had come within inches of defeating the (understrength) Springboks in the previous match. England were impressive in a 36-20 victory. England had qualified as group runners-up for the quarter-finals, where they would play Group B's winners Australia. Australia were out for revenge for defeat in the 2003 final and were favourites to get it. However, England dominated the scrum and eventually converted enough penalties to win 12-10. Stirling Mortlock's long-range last minute miss gave England the victory. They would play hosts France in the semis. France had defeated the All Blacks of New Zealand in the quarter-finals in Cardiff, detirmined not to go out of their own World Cup on foreign fields. Back in their own Stade de France, they conceded a daft try after a minute of the semi-final. France could have won it and led for long periods, but it was the heroics of England's forwards, including a tap tackle from Joe Worsley that saved a try that pulled England through. They won 14-9. England's defeat in the final against the Springboks, 15-6, was a huge improvement on the 36-0 thrashing 6 weeks earlier but was essentially irrelevent. The journey to the final was a major surprise and showed the sheer character and force of will of England. Thanks for reading my imperfect guide to England @ France 2007![/quote] You don't want to change a formula that works, imo! The ELVs did that and didn't improve anything. I suppose we're with FOTA on that one. Then again, costs must be reduced! You never know what's right in sport until it works or doesn't![/font] [/QUOTE]

Verification: Which driver is the fake "winner" of the 2021 F1 WDC?