Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

England prop Dan Cole opens up on his 2019 World Cup final scar

(Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

Dan Cole has spoken about his surprise return to the Rugby World Cup four years after the England scrum dramatically collapsed in the 2019 final, leaving Eddie Jones’ team comfortably beaten by the Springboks in Japan.

ADVERTISEMENT

The Leicester tighthead had played back-up to the first-choice Kyle Sinckler at that tournament, but he was rapidly ushered into the action in Yokohama just two minutes into the match when Sinckler was concussed and unable to continue.

That left Cole getting a call to play far earlier than envisaged and he couldn’t prevent the Springboks going to crucially dominate the set-piece and eventually win 32-12.

Video Spacer

Rugbypass TV

Video Player is loading.
Current Time 0:00
Duration 1:00
Loaded: 0%
Stream Type LIVE
Remaining Time 1:00
 
1x
    • Chapters
    • descriptions off, selected
    • captions off, selected
    • en (Main), selected
    Video Spacer

    Rugbypass TV

    Watch rugby on demand, from exclusive shows and documentaries to extended highlights from RWC 2023. Anywhere. Anytime. All for free!

    Join us

    The consequence of that disappointing performance was that Cole was cut out of the international picture by head coach Jones in the following three years.

    However, with his Tigers club coach Steve Borthwick succeeding Jones last December as England boss, the door was suddenly open for a return from the international wilderness at the age of 36.

    Team Form

    Last 5 Games

    3
    Wins
    2
    2
    Streak
    2
    19
    Tries Scored
    15
    33
    Points Difference
    -25
    3/5
    First Try
    1/5
    3/5
    First Points
    1/5
    3/5
    Race To 10 Points
    1/5

    Seven caps later, the veteran is now with England at their Le Touquet-Paris-Plage base and, ahead of Saturday’s Rugby World Cup opener versus Argentina in Marseille, Cole’s last appearance at the finals was a talking point on Wednesday.

    “Yeah, I still remember what went on, I haven’t forgotten it,” he admitted about the terrible night he endured in the Far East four years ago. “But it is a different World Cup. No, there is plenty of memories of World Cups in general, not just specific games but just the feeling, things in the tournament, how it feels.

    ADVERTISEMENT

    “It’s definitely been thought about this week and how you can use those previous memories, experiences to drive this team or help the team out moving forward because a lot of things go on and off field around the World Cup and we just have to focus on what we can focus on and keep doing what we do.”

    If you play against Argentina in Saturday’s opener, do you feel you have a point to prove given what happened against the Springboks at the scrum?

    “No, no. I am happy to be in the squad, I’m here to help the squad be the best that we can be. What has happened has happened. I have spent long enough thinking about it and moved on. I am more interest in what is about to happen than what has gone before.”

    Did he genuinely believe he would find himself in this position, getting an international recall at the start of his after so many years out of the loop? “For the past three of those four years I didn’t think that would happen but I am very happy and grateful to be part of it,” he explained.

    ADVERTISEMENT

    “Yes, since 2019 I didn’t think I would be involved but the Six Nations, Steve gave me a call and again in the summer said, ‘Would you like to be part of it?’. I jumped at the chance and that is why I am here.

    “It was a surprise. I obviously worked with Steve at Leicester but he didn’t give anything away. Yeah, I didn’t think I would be, purely because I hadn’t played for three years, but he saw it differently and I am grateful he did.

    Related

    “Steve took over at Leicester (in 2020) and we were given a task to do and we were driven hard every day and we achieved one of our goals [win the Gallagher Premiership]. There was no resting on my laurels at Leicester, we had a focus and a purpose to get on with things and we did.

    “After 2019 in some regards with what happened in the final, I won’t say it would have been easy to pack it in but it would have been easy to drift but with Steve coming to Leicester and then covid and everything else happening, you have to reassess what has happened previously in your life.

    “He came in with a purpose and a task and several of us, he gave us a purpose and a vision and we bought into it. We had a few tough years at Leicester and he had a vision to get us back to where we could be as a club and we did. It was an easy thing to buy into and get on with.”

    What about England’s form heading into the finals on the back of five defeats in their last six matches? “Results aren’t where we need them but there are elements of our game that have improved,” Cole reckoned.

    “Coming out here you definitely feel a different vibe in the camp, having people focus. There was always an air of selection or getting injured, there was always something holding you back whereas when you get here, everyone is focused on the Argentina game and what we need to do. Recent form hasn’t been brilliant but we are a team that is working hard and we need to turn that around.

    “You look at the team in the Championship, they are dangerous. If you have one scrum where you are not fully focused they can do damage, they can get stuck into you. They are a dangerous team and obviously, they have grown their game in other areas. We know what is coming up front.”

     

    ADVERTISEMENT

    Boks Office | Episode 36 | Six Nations Round 3 Review

    England A vs Ireland A | Full Match Replay

    HSBC SVNS Vancouver | Men's Day Three Highlights

    HSBC SVNS Vancouver | Women's Day Three Highlights

    "I would love to play with Siya Kolisi" | HSBC Life on Tour | Vancouver

    Kubota Spears vs Shizuoka BlueRevs | JRLO 2024/2025 | Full Match Replay

    Behind the Scenes with the Stars of the Kenya Rugby Sevens Team | HSBC SVNS Embedded | Episode 7

    O2 Inside Line: This Rose | Episode 3 | France Week

    Watch now: Lomu - The Lost Tapes

    Trending on RugbyPass

    Comments

    4 Comments
    j
    john 538 days ago

    Still the best English tight head scrummager

    Load More Comments

    Join free and tell us what you really think!

    Sign up for free
    ADVERTISEMENT

    Latest Features

    Comments on RugbyPass

    T
    Tine wong 2 hours ago
    'Statement of ambition' Ross Byrne signing announced by Gloucester

    I had always been cautious about online investments, but when I came across an opportunity promising high returns, I let my guard down. The website looked professional, the testimonials seemed legitimate, and the support team assured me my money was safe. I invested a significant amount, hoping to secure my financial future. At first, everything seemed fine. My account balance grew, and I was even able to withdraw small amounts. Encouraged, I reinvested a larger sum. That’s when the problems began. Suddenly, my withdrawal requests were ignored, customer support stopped responding, and my account was locked. It hit me—I had fallen victim to a sophisticated online scam. Feeling helpless, I searched for solutions. Traditional banks couldn’t help, and law enforcement advised me to be cautious in the future but offered little hope of recovery. That’s when I stumbled upon Galaxy Ethical Tech, a company specializing in ethical financial recovery using advanced AI and blockchain tracking.I reached out to them, skeptical but desperate. Their response was swift and professional. After verifying my case, they used their AI-driven forensic tracking to analyze blockchain transactions, uncovering the fraudsters’ network. Their experts collaborated with cybersecurity teams and legal authorities, using ethical hacking to trace my funds.Weeks later, I received an email that changed everything: “We have successfully retrieved a significant portion of your lost funds.” I couldn’t believe it. Shortly after, the money was deposited back into my account.Galaxy Ethical Tech not only helped me reclaim my lost investment but also educated me on how to avoid such scams in the future. Thanks to them, I regained my financial stability—and my trust in ethical technology. If you ever find yourself in a similar situation, remember: the right technology, used ethically, can turn losses into second chances.contact them via Email: galaxyethicaltech@mail.comWhatsapp: +15072712442Telegram: Galaxy_ethical_tech

    1 Go to comments
    T
    Tine wong 5 hours ago
    Italy player ratings vs France | 2025 Six Nations

    I had always been cautious about online investments, but when I came across an opportunity promising high returns, I let my guard down. The website looked professional, the testimonials seemed legitimate, and the support team assured me my money was safe. I invested a significant amount, hoping to secure my financial future. At first, everything seemed fine. My account balance grew, and I was even able to withdraw small amounts. Encouraged, I reinvested a larger sum. That’s when the problems began. Suddenly, my withdrawal requests were ignored, customer support stopped responding, and my account was locked. It hit me—I had fallen victim to a sophisticated online scam. Feeling helpless, I searched for solutions. Traditional banks couldn’t help, and law enforcement advised me to be cautious in the future but offered little hope of recovery. That’s when I stumbled upon Galaxy Ethical Tech, a company specializing in ethical financial recovery using advanced AI and blockchain tracking.I reached out to them, skeptical but desperate. Their response was swift and professional. After verifying my case, they used their AI-driven forensic tracking to analyze blockchain transactions, uncovering the fraudsters’ network. Their experts collaborated with cybersecurity teams and legal authorities, using ethical hacking to trace my funds.Weeks later, I received an email that changed everything: “We have successfully retrieved a significant portion of your lost funds.” I couldn’t believe it. Shortly after, the money was deposited back into my account.Galaxy Ethical Tech not only helped me reclaim my lost investment but also educated me on how to avoid such scams in the future. Thanks to them, I regained my financial stability—and my trust in ethical technology. If you ever find yourself in a similar situation, remember: the right technology, used ethically, can turn losses into second chances.contact them via Email: galaxyethicaltech@mail.comWhatsapp: +15072712442Telegram: Galaxy_ethical_tech

    3 Go to comments
    S
    SarahStewart 6 hours ago
    The wheelchair rugby team breaking barriers and changing lives

    It all started when I woke up one morning to find my crypto wallet drained—every last Bitcoin I’d invested in was gone. Months of careful trading, wiped out in an instant. I’d fallen victim to a slick phishing scam that tricked me into handing over my private keys. Devastated, I thought it was over. That’s when a friend mentioned Alpha Spy Nest, a shadowy group of crypto recovery specialists who’d helped him out of a similar mess.Skeptical but desperate, I reached out. Within hours, a voice on the other end—calm, confident, and anonymous—told me they’d take the case. They called themselves “Nest operatives,” and they didn’t waste time. First, they asked for every detail I could remember: the suspicious email, the fake login page, the moment I realized I’d been had. I handed it all over, expecting nothing but a polite “we’ll try.”What I didn’t know was that Alpha Spy Nest was already on the move. Their team—part hackers, part detectives—dived into the blockchain like bloodhounds. They traced the stolen Bitcoin as it bounced through a dizzying maze of wallets, each one a little more obscure than the last. Most people would’ve given up, but not them. They had tools I’d never heard of, scraping data from dark web forums and piecing together clues like a digital jigsaw puzzle.Days later, they called me back. “We’ve got a lead,” the voice said. They’d tracked the thief to a sloppy exchange account tied to a poorly hidden IP address. The operatives didn’t stop there—they cross-referenced the wallet activity with chatter on underground crypto channels and found the culprit bragging about his haul. With that, they flipped the script. Using a mix of social engineering and what I can only assume was some next-level tech, they baited the thief into moving the funds again—right into a trap wallet Alpha Spy Nest controlled. Few days after I’d lost everything, I got a final message: “Check your account.” There it was—my Bitcoin, back where it belonged, minus a modest fee for their trouble. I never met the team, never even learned their real names. All I knew was that Alpha Spy Nest had turned my nightmare into a miracle, and I’d never click a shady link again.Contacts: Email: Alphaspynest@mail.com, WhatsApp: ‪+14159714490

    0 Go to comments
    TRENDING
    TRENDING Exeter's Wallabies raid set to continue with two further signings Exeter's Wallabies raid set to continue with two further signings
    Search