Cueto urges England to use World Cup 'hatred' as inspiration vs South Africa
If there's anyone who doesn't need reminding about the fine margins involved in a Rugby World Cup clash with South Africa, it's Mark Cueto.
The flying winger hung up his boots in 2015 having made his mark at international level, crossing the try-line 20 times in 55 appearances for England. There was also a Test cap for the British Lions in New Zealand and the cementing of legendary status with Sale Sharks, a club where he spent the entirety of his 14-year career and landed a Premiership title.
But he was arguably centimetres from adding another accolade, the greatest within his sport. To this day, his disallowed try in the 2007 Rugby World Cup final in Paris divides debate. With England trailing South Africa 9-3, Cueto seemingly touched down in the corner only for the TMO, amid multiple replays, to eventually rule his boot had grazed the touchline before scoring.
Brian Ashton's side would eventually lose 15-6, but the now 43-year-old insists the magnitude of the moment doesn't haunt him: “You don’t have time to dwell on anything on sport and that’s a brilliant thing at times," he told Mirror Sport. "A lot of the things in general life we all dwell on too much and make problems bigger than they actually are.
“The fact I’m still getting phone calls like this 16 years on, it’s positive for me. Of course, I’d be an idiot if I was sat here saying I don’t regret not scoring and not winning, but we can’t change it."
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Indeed, less than a week later after appearing on rugby's biggest stage, Cueto was issued a harrowing reminder that the sport doesn't stand still: “The actual day? I can’t remember a thing," he insists. "Saturday night I played the World Cup final in the Stade de France, Paris, in front of 85,000 people - and six days later I’m playing for Sale against Leeds Rhinos at Edgeley Park in front of 5,000.
SAINT-DENIS, FRANCE - OCTOBER 20: Mark Cueto of England dives for the line only for the try to be disallowed during the 2007 Rugby World Cup Final between England and South Africa at the Stade de France on October 20, 2007 in Saint-Denis, France. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)HAVE YOUR SAY! Can England beat South Africa? Comment below.
"In rugby you rarely get a chance to enjoy the big days. I remember training for the Leeds game and telling myself there was no point worrying about the World Cup final."
And yet, the parallels between the 2007 crop and the current squad out are unavoidable. Like in this build-up to this tournament, Cueto and co headed to France seemingly on a hiding to nothing having finished third in the Six Nations and endured a disastrous summer tour to, yes, South Africa.
A 36-0 group stage defeat to the Springboks in the pool stages further exacerbated the notion of no-hopers, before surprise knockout wins over Australia and the hosts suddenly left Ashton's men just 80 minutes from immortality. And despite arguments that England's pathway to the last four this time around has been fortuitous, Cueto justifiably points out it's results that matter.
“We’ve all been raving about Ireland and France and rightly so, they’ve been playing brilliant rugby and looked great but at the end of the day - they’re out the competition," said Cueto, now a sales director for Greater Manchester-based broadband firm 4th Utility. “Everyone is slating England and yeah they’ve had a lucky draw but you get what you’re given and there’s no shame in it. When England have got a tough draw no one is giving them sympathy."
And intriguingly, Cueto then offered another side to the debate. One I dare say, many pundits wouldn't dare touch for fear of appearing disrespectful: "We speak about a lucky draw, but nobody ever talks about it as a reason to not play well, but it is," he argued.
“No one would ever admit it but there’s no way you can get up for playing Samoa or Japan, no disrespect, in the same way as when you're playing against the All Blacks or South Africa. It's totally different and the top two inches change.
“Ultimately, the two games we’ve needed to come through, we have. There was the opening game against Argentina and yes, we might have stuttered and stumbled through the pool after that and Fiji are not a top, top team. But although it was a narrow win (in the quarter-final) I thought we looked comfortable for long periods.
"There are a number of experienced players with more than 100 caps in that team. And they've turned up in the big games that they've needed to win."
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Which brings us to Saturday's clash with England's old friends. Four years ago, it was South Africa who again shattered World Cup dreams in the final in Japan. And despite admitting he would have preferred his old side to be facing France, Cueto believes mentality holds the key to Steve Borthwick's side causing an upset.
And they already have their source of motivation: “Elis Genge said this week everyone wants us to lose and he’s right. You never feel that until you actually play at international level. You learn the hatred people have towards you (England) and what you can have towards the other nations, it’s bizarre."
Fire alone of course, won't suffice. How do England unlock a side which Cueto himself describes as "uncompromising and physical." As well as self-belief, he insinuated selection would be key.
It was 20 points from the boot of Owen Farrell that ultimately saw England through their Fiji clash, and is selection at No 10 this time around was surely non-negotiable: “We’re solid set piece wise and it will be Owen at 10. (George) Ford has been unlucky but it’s international sport. Owen showed his quality against Fiji and we are a better team when we’ve got an out and out 10. It sounds simple, but put people in the right positions and you’re a better team.
"But Farrell at 12 when he’s a 10; Manu (Tuilagi) at 13 when he’s a 12; (Joe) Marchant at wing when he’s a centre, you can’t do that in kids rugby let alone internationals. We need the pack to stand up and we need to be solid at the set piece. And when we move the ball we do have threats out wide, we've just not really seen that yet."
Should Borthwick and co somehow prevail under the bright lights in Paris, then history will one day remember the result as one of the great Rugby World Cup semi-final surprises. But Cueto knows as much as anybody, that anything is possible at this stage of the tournament. He's also well aware, that it could all come down to one excruciating call from officials....
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