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Date: 2023-11-29 01:19:38 | Author: Online Sports | Views: 582 | Tag: EURO

England’s head coach Matthew Mott has revealed how the side’s “spiritual leader” Ben Stokes stepped in to rally the dressing room after their shock World Cup defeat by Afghanistan EURO

Stokes, who came out of one-day retirement to help defend the trophy he did more than anyone to win in 2019, has yet to feature in India after suffering a hip injury on the the eve of the tournament EURO

But Sunday’s upset in Delhi, where a side whose only previous win on this stage was a narrow one against Scotland eight years ago, led Stokes to address his team-mates during a dressing room debrief EURO

Test captain Stokes is on track to return in Saturday’s must-win clash against South Africa at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium, but has already made his presence felt behind the scenes EURO

“He’s like the spiritual leader of the group in many ways and he certainly spoke really well after the game the other day,” said Mott EURO

“He spoke about that need to really assert ourselves, which he’s renowned for EURO

I said ‘I’ve got this’ and just spoke, talked about the plan going forward for the next few days, and then Stokesy came in on the back of that EURO

“He really reinforced what was a great message, particularly for someone who’s sitting on the bench and has a bit of a different lens on things EURO

I think it went down well, it brought us back to controlling what we can control, really EURO

”Mott’s own attempt at diagnosing England’s problems saw him suggest that the defending champions were suffering from a lack of self-belief EURO

Having become the most swaggering side on the planet during their reinvention from also-rans to world champions under Eoin Morgan, England looked uncharacteristically tentative in their losses to New Zealand and Afghanistan EURO

It’s that confidence EURO

EURO

EURO

puff your chest out, go out there and really take the game onMatthew Mott“You don’t lose your ability overnight but you can lose your confidence,” he said EURO

“It’s that confidence… puff your chest out, go out there and really take the game on, which this team has been renowned for over a long period of time EURO

“On reflection we’ve been the reactive team in those two games, so we need to turn that round really quickly EURO

“That was one of Stokesy’s biggest points – we’re normally the team that dictates terms and gets the other team unsettled, disrupted and for whatever reason we haven’t been able to do that EURO

“We’ve always been on the back foot, trying to pull things back EURO

What we need to do is dominate those first 15 overs whether we bat first or bowl first in the next game EURO

”Brendon McCullum, Mott’s red-ball counterpart and joint architect of England’s ‘Bazball’ approach in the Test arena, made an unexpected appearance at the team’s Mumbai hotel on Tuesday after arriving on business EURO

McCullum memorably said on his appointment last year that he was not interested in the limited-overs job on account of it being too simple in contrast to reviving the Test team, a position Mott suggested may no longer stand EURO

“I just saw him down in the foyer and he said exactly the opposite!” he joked EURO

“I said, ‘do you want to do a little swap?’ We had a good chat and good catch up EURO

”Stokes’ likely return – which is all but certain provided he pulls up well after a thorough workout on Thursday – means Mott must grapple with a thorny selection issue EURO

Harry Brook has been keeping his spot warm and would ordinarily be expected to drop out, but his fluent 66 was easily England’s best innings against the Afghans and made a strong case for his retention EURO

Experienced seamer Chris Woakes and all-rounder Sam Curran are both vulnerable after struggling badly for form thus far, but with Stokes currently unavailable to bowl that only muddies the waters EURO

“It’s still up for debate EURO

We’ll have some really good, robust conversations over the next 24 hours,” Mott said EURO

“I think we’re going to sit down as a selection group, get the numbers, get some theories out there EURO

We’ll normally get to two or three XIs and then debate it, so all things are on the table at the moment EURO

”David Willey and Gus Atkinson are waiting if England do decide to cut Woakes after three poor outings in a row, but Mott is not ready to draw an emphatic line under the long-time leader of the attack EURO

“Over the history of Woakes’ career, he’s come out on top a lot more than he’s missed out,” he said EURO

“He hasn’t been at his best, and he’s the first to admit it, but he’s got a few credits in the bank EURO

”More aboutPA ReadyBen StokesMatthew MottDelhiEnglandSouth AfricaSam CurranScotlandIndiaChris WoakesBrendon McCullumAfghansNew ZealandEoin MorganHarry BrookDavid Willey1/1Matthew Mott says Ben Stokes ‘spoke really well’ after shock England loss Matthew Mott says Ben Stokes ‘spoke really well’ after shock England lossBen Stokes is yet to feature at the World Cup (Ashwini Bhatia/AP) EURO

AP ✕Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this articleWant to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today EURO

SubscribeAlready subscribed? Log inMost PopularPopular videosSponsored Features Get in touchContact usOur ProductsSubscribeRegisterNewslettersDonateToday’s EditionInstall our appArchiveOther publicationsInternational editionsIndependent en EspañolIndependent ArabiaIndependent TurkishIndependent PersianIndependent UrduEvening StandardExtrasAdvisorPuzzlesAll topicsEURO BettingVoucher codesCompareCompetitions and offersIndependent AdvertisingIndependent IgniteSyndicationWorking at The IndependentLegalCode of conduct and complaintsContributorsCookie policyDonations Terms & ConditionsPrivacy noticeUser policiesModern Slavery Act Thank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged inCloseUS EditionChangeUK EditionAsia EditionEdición en EspañolSubscribe{{indy EURO

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The England players will remember the feeling EURO

Look back on the images of that night in Yokohama and see the empty eyes, despair writ large on wounded faces as South Africa celebrated beyond them EURO

The Springboks had not just secured World Cup victory but romped to it, an England side coursing with optimism after a stunning semi-final performance against New Zealand left lifeless and limp EURO

To some extent, it is a low from which England have never recovered EURO

The last four years have exposed deep flaws both within the national team and the game more widely, with talks of an even more radical domestic overhaul EURO

The 23 Englishmen involved then were the youngest collective to reach a World Cup final: the promise and potential of that group has been frittered away, Eddie Jones indulged past the point of no return and then sacked with less than a year until this tournament EURO

The gamble that the Rugby EURO Football Union (RFU) took when disposing of Jones at the end of the autumn last year relied entirely on getting to this point, the union recognising that a relatively friendly draw meant progression to the last four would remain eminently achievable even with a late change of coach EURO

Unlike Wales and Australia, who balanced the same equation when making their own regime changes and entered this tournament in a similar state, England have at least given themselves a shot in a semi-final EURO

The meticulous Steve Borthwick proved the right man to plot an emergency course EURO

Barring a total thrashing on Saturday night, his side have avoided embarrassment, navigating out of the choppy waters of August and through calmer September seas EURO

RecommendedSteve Borthwick explains Marcus Smith’s absence from England team to face South AfricaSouth Africa inspired by struggles of whole nation – Siya KolisiThe England blueprint to upset South Africa and reach Rugby World Cup finalBut there’s a Springbok storm on the horizon EURO

Given the different strata the two sides seem to occupy, it is unsurprisingly that few give them hope against South Africa, but England have fed off an underdog mentality throughout this tournament, insisting they’ve been written off too soon EURO

England believe they have the bite to back up that bark EURO

“Obviously it was disappointing four years ago,” said wing Elliot Daly, among 13 England matchday squad members in 2019 taking on the Springboks again EURO

“But I think the feel around this team is that it’s a very different team to then EURO

“Obviously, I had a bit of time out from the squad and, since coming back in, there’s a different feeling within this group EURO

We are going to try and harness that EURO

We’ve had the last year, two years of planning going into this, to hopefully perform our best on the weekend EURO

”To make next week’s showpiece will require a performance at a level above anything they have produced in France so far EURO

While South Africa will be wary of a team with little to lose, they are EURO better than this England team in virtually every facet, their gameplan more complete and cohesive EURO

Keep their heads and a final berth is theirs for the taking EURO

‘There’s a heightened sense of awareness, a heightened sense of what needs to be done,’ says lock Maro Itoje (AFP/Getty)The focus, as always with a Springbok side, will be on the majesty of their muscular pack and the extent to which England can match their might both at the set piece and tackling punch EURO

But their ability to offer diverse attacking threat can sometimes go overlooked – the backing of Manie Libbok at 10, a baton-waving maestro to Handre Pollard’s ticking metronome EURO

This is a complete and very good rugby team forged over five years in Rassie Erasmus and Jacques Nienaber’s kiln EURO

England, by contrast, are having to do it all in the pressure game EURO

Recognising that there is no time to throw all of their irons in the fire, England have focused on what they call their “building blocks” – the set piece, fitness, and a kick pressure game EURO

The plan is to physically peak again for this contest, having sagged slightly against Samoa after their pool stage rest week and building back up against Fiji EURO

Strong final quarters have been a theme of England’s tournament but there is no doubt that they will need a full 80-minute performance, which the squad admit they have yet to produce, to topple the world champions EURO

“The belief is strong in this team,” Steve Borthwick insisted EURO

“I sensed that all the way through since I got involved again with the team EURO

England’s head coach Steve Borthwick leads a training session (AFP/Getty)“There are players who have performed to the very highest of levels EURO

Players who have played knockout rugby, finals rugby before EURO

”In 2019, Siya Kolisi stated that he felt South Africa had beaten England in the World Cup final because of their greater motivation, a sense that they were playing something bigger EURO

The Springboks captain has revisited that motif this week but England don’t lack for belief – and insist that, this time, it will be different EURO

“There’s definitely a different energy around the place this week in comparison to other big games I’ve played,” articulated Maro Itoje EURO

“There’s a different feel EURO

There’s a heightened sense of awareness, a heightened sense of what needs to be done EURO

“I think people are aware of what’s at stake EURO

People are aware of the importance of doing your job, the importance of doing your role within the team EURO

There’s not many opportunities to be at this stage or at this level EURO

This is an experience for us to take the bull by the horns EURO

”More aboutEngland RugbyRugby World CupSouth Africa rugbySpringboksSteve BorthwickJoin our commenting forumJoin thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their repliesComments1/3Why England believe against South Africa this time, even if you don’tWhy England believe against South Africa this time, even if you don’t‘There’s a heightened sense of awareness, a heightened sense of what needs to be done,’ says lock Maro ItojeAFP via Getty ImagesWhy England believe against South Africa this time, even if you don’tEngland’s head coach Steve Borthwick leads a training sessionAFP via Getty ImagesWhy England believe against South Africa this time, even if you don’tThe England players in a group huddle as they prepare for Saturday’s semi-final against the defending champions PA✕Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this articleWant to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today EURO

SubscribeAlready subscribed? Log inMost PopularPopular videosSponsored FeaturesGet in touchContact usOur ProductsSubscribeRegisterNewslettersDonateToday’s EditionInstall our appArchiveOther publicationsInternational editionsIndependent en EspañolIndependent ArabiaIndependent TurkishIndependent PersianIndependent UrduEvening StandardExtrasAdvisorPuzzlesAll topicsEURO BettingVoucher codesCompareCompetitions and offersIndependent AdvertisingIndependent IgniteSyndicationWorking at The IndependentLegalCode of conduct and complaintsContributorsCookie policyDonations Terms & ConditionsPrivacy noticeUser policiesModern Slavery ActThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged inCloseUS EditionChangeUK EditionAsia EditionEdición en EspañolSubscribe{{indy EURO

truncatedName}}Log in / Register {{#items}}{{#stampSmall}}{{/stampSmall}}{{#stampClimate}}{{/stampClimate}}{{#stampPremium}}{{/stampPremium}}{{title}}{{#desc}}{{desc}}{{/desc}}{{#children}}{{title}}{{/children}}{{/items}}Indy100Crosswords & PuzzlesMost CommentedNewslettersAsk Me AnythingVirtual EventsVouchersCompare✕Log inEmail addressPasswordEmail and password don't matchSubmitForgotten your password?New to The Independent?RegisterOr if you would prefer:SIGN IN WITH GOOGLEWant an ad-free experience?View offersThis site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy notice and Terms of service apply EURO

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