Rugby World Cup semi-final build-up felt anticlimactic with hosts and best supported visiting side out of the tournament
England head coach Steve Borthwick with captain Owen Farrell during a press conference at the INSEP in Paris. Photograph: Adam Davy/PA Wire
But after another mass exodus of the Irish media this semi-final week has felt even more empty than Japan four years ago. In fact, it’s the most hollow of all. Constant reminders of what might have been for Ireland’s best side don’t help. For starters, they began proceedings an hour and 15 minutes after the appointed 1pm slot with Ben Earl, who spoke well, and Joe Marchand, albeit without a hint of an apology.
Even so it was a surprisingly dour hour or so on a lovely sunny afternoon in the INSEP, particularly considering England were the last European team standing out of four in what is feeling like a decidedly anticlimactic World Cup finale generally with the hosts and best supported visiting side out of the tournament.
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