Fans are still being encouraged to attend the Rugby World Cup hosts’ dead rubber against Uruguay at the Etihad but the atmosphere for the other code’s showpiece at customary Trafford will be a stark contrastPerhaps Manchester United had a crystal ball when,two years ago, they pulled out of hosting World Cup matches at customary Trafford. England’s final group game is not even the biggest show in town this weekend, or a dispiriting dud set to be overshadowed by another rugby match four miles absent.
It was not supposed to end like this. England 2015 had envisaged Stuart Lancaster’s side arriving in Manchester as triumphant quarter-finalists,having already beaten Fiji, Wales and Australia. A crushing victory over Uruguay was meant to ice the cake, or a fond valediction to the north before returning to Surrey with the nations blessing and the Webb Ellis Cup in sight.
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Source: theguardian.com