'Complete blame': Thompson opens up on World Cup final loss that still haunts
England winger Lydia Thompson has opened up about the distressing World Cup final loss to New Zealand that has haunted her since last November.
The 31-year-old was red carded early in the first half after her tackle on Black Ferns star Portia Woodman went wrong, with both players involved in a head clash that forced Woodman off the field.
Under strict rules for head-to-head contact a red card was issued, forcing England to play 63 minutes with 14 players in the final.
Thompson revealed she has been living in 'complete blame' for the loss as 'hurtful' thoughts keep resurfacing over the incident and the match.
"Those multiple thoughts keep flooding you like: letting the team down, obviously it made their day a lot harder. A complete blame for the loss of the World Cup," Thompson told ITV.
"To be honest, I didn't think I was ever going to be able to talk about it. But that's why I thought it is time to talk about it because I just want to say thank you to people. The overwhelming kindness people showed me...I guess you don't expect it because you feel so terrible.
"No one had said anything I can imagine to be as hurtful as what my own thoughts were saying to me. I've been my own worst enemy I guess.
"I'm still on the journey of kind of coming to terms of it. But bottling up isn't the best thing.
"As much as I kind of thought I'd be strong enough to just move past it. I haven't been. I've had so much help. And yeah, I want to know that I'm there for anyone else."
The Red Roses almost pulled off a heroic victory but the Black Ferns were able to prevent the rolling maul by disrupting the lineout on the last play of the game to hold on for a 34-31 victory.
She revealed the torment from the incident almost drove Thompson to quit the game in an emotional letter she penned for Scrum Queens.
On her return to play in Worcester she was left shaking with nerves after months away from any rugby environment.
The 58-Test wing has been named in England's 2023 Six Nations squad as the Red Roses look to put the World Cup behind them as they start to build towards the event in 2025.
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I’m looking forward to attending the Twickenham match, I don’t think it will have a bearing on the outcome of the grand prize itself but it will tell us more about each teams’ preparation and game plan. It’s hard to look past one of the big four (I’m including Canada) lifting the trophy in 2025 but sport is a curious thing, there will still be twists and turns in road ahead.
Go to commentsThe better side seems to be the losing side a lot these days. As far as narrative goes. Must be the big emergent culture of “participation awards” that have emerged in nanny states. ”It looked like New Zealand would take the game from there but lapses in execution let South Africa get back into the game. New Zealand’s goal kickers left five points out there, including a very make-able penalty on the stroke of half”. Sounds like a chronic problem… I wonder how the better team has lapses in concentration and execution? Or are those not important factors in the grand scheme of total performances? In 2023, the ABs at least didn’t give up a lead to lose. They just couldn’t execute to get the points and take the lead. This Baby AB result points to a choke - letting the game slip through your fingers. In the words of the great Ricky Bobby’s dad - “If you’re not 1st you’re last!” Loosely translated - if you didn’t win, you’re a loser.
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