BEEF was kicked into touch as France strode gracefully into the Rugby World Cup final.

The beef that was taken off the menu was not British, but New Zealand, as the All Blacks - red-hot favourites to make Saturday's showpiece final and seemingly well on their way after two magnificent Jonah Lomu tries - were undone by Gallic flair, the like of which we haven't seen for a long, long time.

The French, once famous for this sort of running game, have seen their talent lain dormant for the past year at least. But in Sunday's semi-final they conjured up a comeback to end all comebacks, scoring 33 points in a row to go from 24-10 down to 43-24 ahead before the All Blacks managed to make the final scoreline a little more respectable.

It was a thrilling thrashing for a team that looked invincible. And what's more surprising is that the French were loudly encouraged by a Twickenham crowd containing thousands of English fans - seemingly less concerned about the beef war and more interested in cheering an unforgettable victory.

The other semi-final was no less absorbing, with Australia proving fractionally too good for South Africa. Ironically, South Africa lost because their drop-kick specialist Jannie de Beer, the scourge of England in Paris, missed four drop attempts this time around, while Australia's unlikely hero, Stephen Larkham, won the game with a drop goal.

Like the French victory, this match was a magnificent if contrasting sort of contest.

Last weekend was one in which the World Cup truly came alive and the game of rugby was the winner.

MANCHESTER United's decision not to enter the FA Cup this year stinks.

The club say they are sorry. So do the Football Association. So do the Government.

But the fact is United have chosen to play in the world club championship rather than the FA Cup - and all the glory they might achieve in Brazil in January won't make up for the snub to the greatest cup competition in the world.

Neither will it make up for the disappointment felt by other clubs who might have been drawn against them in the fourth round - and that could so easily have been Oxford United or Oxford City.

LONG before Maradona's famous Hand of God goal against England, a Welsh League side won a vital match with the assistance of the Leg of Dog.

I was reminded of the incident when reading of an unusual goal in a game between Hollingworth Juniors and Stalybridge Celtic Colts a few weeks ago. A high cross from the right seemed to be heading for touch until it was expertly flicked into the net - by the beak of a passing seagull.

The flying winger spun into a nosedive, landing on the pitch, before it recovered and flew off. Now the Football Association have confirmed that the goal for the Colts had not broken any rules of the game - which was the same ruling given by the Welsh FA when the dog intervened back in the 1950s.

The game between Blaenau Ffestiniog and Colwyn Bay was deadlocked at 1-1 when the black-and-white collie - named Bartram after the great goalkeeper Sam - wandered into the penalty area, deflecting a hopeful shot from a Ffestiniog player into the back of the Bay net. It was as neat a back-heel flick as you'll ever hope to see.

Although the ball was more likely to have hit the corner flag, the ref allowed the score and was later adjudged to have made the correct decision by the Welsh FA.

Since then, I've seen dogs, cats, rabbits and squirrels on football pitches - but none has managed as classy a back-heel goal as

Bartram the collie.

Story date: Wednesday 03 November

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