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Bryn Palmer

England ratings v SA (339)

I was at the Stade de France on Friday as England's World Cup campaign was blown to smithereens by a dominant South Africa, who crushed the defending world champions 36-0.

Here's how I rated the individual England players' performances. See what you think and let us know what you made of the performance.

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Bruce Pope

Wales the Lionhearts (20)

Seen posted on the door of the Wales dressing room in the bowels of the Millennium Stadium are words of inspiration attributed to the King of England.

I know what you're thinking: "Has finally stepped down and let have a go at last, but he's still made the time to big-up Gareth Jenkins' boys due to his previous role as Prince of Wales?"

No, the words helping to get the hwyl flowing for have come echoing down the ages, uttered towards the end of the 12th century.

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Andrew Cotter

Scotland reveal their hand? (29)

St Etienne - continue to draw sizeable crowds of locals to their open training sessions at the St Etienne Football Academy.

Most are there purely to collect autographs and have their photos taken with the lads and they generally give the impression that nobody in this little corner of France has any work to go to.

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Ryan Jones

Wales v Australia (43)

Swansea - Since the World Cup were drawn however many months ago, both and put a pin in 15 September 2007, identifying it as the day when the four-year cycle of building for a World Cup would end.

It would end because it was the day when there would be no more excuses: no more blooding young players, no more trying new combinations and no more considering a loss as anything but failure. It would be time to deliver –
and here we are.

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Ben Dirs

From biscuits to foie gras (23)

Bordeaux - When you’re down and troubled, and you need some love and care, go out and have a few scoops with the Irish in Bordeaux. You’re likely to get absolutely rubbered and forget about all the bad things that have happened.

Not me of course. I was nursing a Guinness in The Connemara thinking up possibly the worst opening paragraph in the history of the written word.

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