The boys of 91: why the first England side in Rugby World Cup final are still hurting

Beaten by the All Blacks in their opening game, Geoff Cooke’s side decided on a more pragmatic style which took them past France in a tumultuous quarter-final in Paris and Scotland in a semi reeking of revenge at Murrayfield. But it was a case of so near, yet so far in the Twickenham final against Australia after a change of tacticsEngland went into the World Cup as grand slam champions having pipped France 21-19 in their final game at Twickenham in the Five Nations; the silverware was won after three years of hard work following the disappointment of the 1987 World Cup. But their illusions of…