
I Dig Sports
Why Juan Soto is on track to be baseball's next superstar

HOUSTON -- It wasn't the home run that flipped the script of Game 7, let alone the moment everyone will remember, but Juan Soto's seventh-inning walk was perhaps the fulcrum around which the entire inning unfolded. It also showed why the 21-year-old breakout star of the World Series could be the next player who rises to the level of Albert Pujols or Mike Trout.
With one out and Zack Greinke cruising with a 2-0 lead, the Nationals had the meat of their order facing the Astros right-hander for the third time: Anthony Rendon, Soto and Howie Kendrick. You don't want to walk Rendon because that would bring up Soto -- who already had homered three times in the series -- as the tying run. The Astros didn't have a lefty in the bullpen, so that meant going after Soto with a right-hander -- whether it was Greinke or reliever Will Harris.
So with Soto looming, Rendon homered off a 1-0 changeup from Greinke to make it 2-1.
Suddenly Soto represented the tying run. He had singled in the second, the only hit off Greinke until Rendon's home run, then struck out in the fifth on a sequence that included a slow curveball and a changeup that Soto struck out on with a checked swing.
In the seventh, Soto took a fastball for a ball, swung through a curveball and took a changeup for a ball. Greinke threw another changeup, a good one at the knees. It was called a ball. Yes, Soto caught a break -- the pitch had a 92% strike probability -- but he had learned quickly. He had missed that changeup in the fourth. He was going to lay off it this time. The next pitch was a 3-1 curveball off the plate for ball four.
Plate discipline. It's a beautiful thing in such a young player. Soto had the 11th-lowest chase rate in baseball in the regular season. It would be understandable for a young player who possesses light-tower power, trailing by one run late in Game 7 of the World Series, to swing for the fences. Soto took the walk.
"You look at a 21-year-old kid that's just out there having fun like he's playing stickball in the backyard," manager Dave Martinez said. "That's who he is. He loves the moments. He loves going up there and picking up his teammates."
Soto can certainly have fun -- note his home run in Game 6, when he carried his bat to first base, mimicking Alex Bregman's home run trot from earlier in the game -- but his teammates and opponents praised Soto's mature approach throughout the postseason. He showed that in that Game 7 plate appearance.
With Soto on base, Astros manager AJ Hinch had a tough decision with Greinke, and opted to bring in Harris. Hinch said after the game that he targeted this point in the game for Harris, to face Kendrick and Asdrubal Cabrera. Note that Hinch didn't mention Soto. That's because he didn't have a good option for Soto. Heck, earlier in the series he gave Soto an intentional walk -- after not issuing one the entire season. It might have been nice if the front office had given Hinch a left-hander in the bullpen just for this type of situation.
Kendrick, of course, homered off Harris to put Washington in front, and the Nationals later tacked on three insurance runs. Soto added a two-out RBI single in the eighth that made it 4-2.
Soto's final World Series line: .333/.438/.741 with three home runs and seven RBIs. He became the youngest player to hit three home runs in one World Series. He had a crucial two-run double off Gerrit Cole in Game 1, the go-ahead home run off Justin Verlander in Game 6, and the walk and RBI single in Game 7.
Soto's postgame response to winning the World Series: "It makes you dance!" Then he started dancing.
His overall postseason line: .277/.373/.554. The website thebaseballgauge.com keeps track of a statistic called championship win probability added, which factors how the result of each at-bat affects the odds of winning a particular game and of winning the World Series. Kendrick's home run off Harris was the single biggest play of the postseason, but the player who led the entire postseason in total CWPA was Soto.
"As far as how he rises to the occasion, I think he's just a really talented player," teammate Ryan Zimmerman had said before Game 7. "People that usually have success in the playoffs and are really talented do it the entire year as well. It's just not as many people see it. Now once the whole world sees it, everyone talks about it."
Indeed. Nationals fans have been watching Soto the past two seasons. Die-hard fans know the numbers. The back-to-back .400 on-base seasons at the unheard-of ages of 19 and 20. The .282/.401/.548 season this year with 34 home runs and 110 RBIs.
Is it fair to compare Soto to Pujols or Trout? Maybe not. We're talking about two of the best hitters of all time, and two outstanding all-around players. Pujols hit .331 over his first 10 seasons. Trout has led his league four times in OPS and six times in OPS+. Soto ranked sixth this season in OPS and eighth in OPS+.
But maybe it is fair. Soto just turned 21 a few days ago. The list of comparable players through his first two seasons includes names like Mickey Mantle, Frank Robinson, Trout, Ken Griffey Jr. and Mel Ott. As Zimmerman said, "The scary thing is he's only going to get better with the more experience that he gets and as he learns himself as a player and as a hitter. So, yeah, the sky's the limit for him."
The next Pujols or Trout? Joey Votto with more power? The plate discipline of Ted Williams with a modern flair? Let's just call him the first Juan Soto.
Djokovic to face Shapovalov in Paris after Nadal pulls out

World number one Novak Djokovic will play Denis Shapovalov in the Paris Masters final after Rafael Nadal withdrew because of injury.
Second seed Nadal, yet to win the Paris title, withdrew before the start of his semi-final with 20-year-old Shapovalov.
Djokovic earlier beat Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria 7-6 (7-5) 6-4.
The 32-year-old four-time champion, beaten in last year's final by Karen Khachanov, took an hour and 38 minutes to secure victory.
It was his ninth win in 10 meetings with world number 27 Dimitrov, who won the last of his eight titles in 2017.
Canadian Shapovalov, ranked 28th in the world, sealed his first ATP title last month with victory in the indoor Stockholm Open.

OSWEGO, N.Y. – Tyler Thompson and Jason Simmons Racing will make their first competitive trip to The Dirt Track at Charlotte’s World Finals on Nov. 7-9, armed with a new Bicknell Racing Chassis big-block modified.
Thompson is eager to continue his run of premier events this fall, which has already seen victories in Oswego Speedway’s Budweiser International Classic and Lucas Oil Raceway’s Supermodified Fall Brawl, as well as an appearance at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park’s World Series of Racing.
“It has been a busy and successful fall and we are excited to wrap it up next weekend at the World Finals,” said Thompson. “Running in front of that crowd, with the Super DIRTcar Series will be awesome. Our team has been hard at work preparing the new Bicknell, so we should be in great shape come qualifying on Thursday.”
Qualifying for both Friday and Saturday’s events will take place on Thursday evening next week at the Dirt Track at Charlotte.

INDIANAPOLIS — My friend Ken Squier, the Hall-of-Fame broadcaster, says racing’s real draw is that it showcases “common people doing uncommon things.”
Sometimes, if the occasion calls for more flowery language, Squier will dress up his description: “ordinary people doing extraordinary things,” he’ll say.
I don’t know who Squier had in mind the first time those phrases rolled off his tongue, but either could serve as an epitaph for Mike Stefanik, maybe the most ordinary extraordinary champion I’ve ever known.
He died in mid-September, test-hopping an ultra-light aircraft for a friend. Aviation had been his kick since he’d put away his fire suit in 2014. He had a kit-plane of his own and he loved buzzing through the skies of Rhode Island, where he lived, and neighboring Connecticut, where tracks such as Stafford Motor Speedway and Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park were the foundation for what turned into a legendary career.
But on this flight, something went wrong, and Stefanik went down in a wooded area achingly close to the private airport he used as a base.
The newspapers and the TV accounts reported he was 61 years old, married and a father of two grown girls. Just a common obituary line to sum up the loss of an uncommon guy.
The racing records he left will go unmatched for a while. He remains the winningest driver in the history of NASCAR’s Whelen Modified Tour. Seven times — in 1989, ’91, ’97, ’98, 2001, ’02 and ’06 — Stefanik was the Whelen Modified Tour champion. Remarkably, in both 1997 and ’98 he also topped the standings in what was then the NASCAR Busch North Series. Through it all he was that common, regular guy, maybe because his biggest heroes were regular guys, too.
First, there was Bob Stefanik, Mike’s older brother, who was a three-time track champion at Riverside Park Speedway in western Massachusetts but earned his living as a short-haul trucker. Next came three-time NASCAR national modified champ Bugs Stevens, often hailed as a party guy — and, yes, Bugsy did love a good time — but someone who took very seriously both his racing and his weekday role as owner of a thriving salvage yard.
Then there was Richie Evans, nine times a NASCAR national champion and another fellow who raised more hell than most, but at his core a professional racer who traced his success to endless hours spent in his shop.
Mike Stefanik studied people and from those three he’d have learned a simple lesson: You could have a grand time racing, whether locally or regionally, but behind all the fun there was hard work.
Early on, he drew a fabricator’s paycheck at a Connecticut chassis shop. By the time he was good enough to support himself and his family as a paid driver, that workman’s mentality was locked in. He looked at the job and he planned accordingly. If a race was 200 or 300 laps long, he positioned himself close to the front, settled in for the ride and stayed on top of his car’s handling; when it was time to fight for the win, he usually had something in reserve.
On the other hand, if he entered a 30-lap weekly main with the fast guys handicapped to the eighth and ninth rows on the starting grid, Stefanik could pull out the stops and go for broke. His game had no weaknesses.
He played a huge role in one of the best races I’ve ever seen, a 100-lap NASCAR modified special at Riverside Park in the late ’80s. Nothing went according to plan for Stefanik or his primary foe, Reggie Ruggiero, yet they put on a battle for the ages.
In those days, before tire rules took a lot of the mystery out of things, these 100 lappers were full of suspense. If a yellow flag waved at the right time — halfway was ideal — guys like Stefanik and Ruggiero would pit for soft tires and make banzai charges back to the front.
This time, they didn’t get the timely caution they needed and by lap 75 each of them was hopelessly short on grip. Fortunately, all the other would-be contenders had worn out their own tires trying to catch them.
Riverside was a tight quarter-mile oval and for the last 25 laps their two cars skated through its banked turns. Stefanik would dive beneath Ruggiero, slide up, ricochet lightly off of Ruggiero’s left-side nerf bar and find himself in the lead.
On the next lap, Ruggiero would use the same move on Stefanik and again they’d trade places. They might have come together a dozen times.
It was clear to see, just from watching their arms sawing away at their steering wheels, that each of them was doing everything in his power not to hit the other guy.
For a decade they’d been fierce rivals, but they also shared a huge mutual respect. Neither was going to knock the other fellow out of the way just to take home another trophy.
As it happened, Stefanik made the last ricochet pass and he won that 100-lapper. He said later that when he got back to the pits and saw Ruggiero, “both of us just burst out laughing.”
That didn’t happen right away, of course. For a while, Mike Stefanik was busy with the victory lane interview and the photos that went with it. One more time, this ordinary guy had done something extraordinary.
Fred 4/10 in Man United's limp loss at Bournemouth

Manchester United's mini winning run came to an end as their difficult season continued with a 1-0 defeat at Bournemouth. The Cherries took the lead courtesy of a great piece of play from former United forward Josh King towards the end of the first half, which turned out to be the winning goal for Eddie Howe's side.
The hosts remained calm and composed throughout, condemning United to another loss in the Premier League to further damage their hopes of a top-four finish.
Positives
Whenever Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's men were able to string together a few through balls and get in down the flanks, they had some success. They slowed the pace of the game down to suit their tempo at points, and in the first half hour, their defensive structure held up fairly well.
Negatives
The visitors were too static whenever the rhythm of their play was disrupted and for large periods of the game, they didn't have an answer for that. Every final ball was weak and they were too happy to go down when put under pressure. Elsewhere, they continually stood off Bournemouth and invited far too much pressure.
Manager rating (out of 10)
6 -- Solskjaer had the right intentions with what was a fairly attacking setup from United, but they were far too conservative in their approach. He clearly noticed the holes and made some attacking changes, but many will continue to question his suitability as this club's boss.
Player ratings (1-10; 10 = best, players introduced after 70 minutes get no rating)
GK David de Gea, 7 -- The keeper wasn't able to do much about Bournemouth's opener but did produce a few good saves in the second half and always seemed to be in the right place at the right time.
DF Aaron Wan-Bissaka, 6 -- Made several important interceptions, especially in the first half, but was at fault for King's goal.
DF Victor Lindelof, 5 -- There's always an element of nervousness to Lindelof's game, which makes it difficult for fans to trust him. Appeared to panic for the goal and picked up a needless yellow card.
DF Harry Maguire, 6 -- There were questions about Maguire's fitness and understandably so, as the Englishman failed to bring much stability to the back four.
DF Ashley Young, 5 -- Poor judgement both on and off the ball and played with a negative style that didn't allow his side to push forward or build any real momentum. Will be suspended for the next match against Brighton after picking up a fifth yellow of the season.
MF Scott McTominay, 6 -- Kept things ticking along at times but couldn't drive his side down the pitch as many others have over the years. Still has a lot to learn in the middle of the park.
MF Fred, 4 -- Was sloppy in possession, couldn't bring other players into the game and often served as a detriment to his own team. Once again had people questioning his £52 million price tag.
MF Daniel James, 6 -- Started brightly but faded and was neutralised by Bournemouth's defensive strength.
MF Andreas Pereira, 5 -- Was one of United's more active players up top but the quality just wasn't there. He missed a great opportunity in the third minute, looked off the pace, and only really had any joy when linking up with James.
FW Marcus Rashford, 6 -- Looked lively and constantly tried to create openings, but he couldn't rediscover his goal-scoring touch in the league after his double against Chelsea in the Carabao Cup in midweek.
FW Anthony Martial, 5 -- Showed decent movement on the ball but was largely marked out of the game.
Substitutes
DF Brandon Williams, N/A -- Was introduced too late on to really make much happen.
MF Jesse Lingard, 6 -- Looked lively when coming on and seemed to create a bit of urgency that United were lacking.
FW Mason Greenwood, N/A -- Got into the right positions and showed that instinctive touch that will make him an important player in the years to come.
LIVE: Can Liverpool maintain their lead over Man City?

Nahida fifty, Mir three-for secure Pakistan ODI series opener

Pakistan 215 (Nahida 68, Maroof 39, Jahanara 3-44, Ghosh 2-12) beat Bangladesh 186 (Nigar 58, Rumana 28, Mir 3-49, Sandhu 2-28) by 29 runs
Pakistan defended 215 against Bangladesh in the opening fixture of the three-ODI series that counts for the Women's Championship, in Lahore, courtesy of a three-for by Sana Mir, who ensured opener Nahida Khan's match-winning 68 and a collective disciplined showing from the bowling attack was not in vain in the low-scoring game.
Bangladesh's chase began on a wobbly note as they lost their top three for a mere 41 runs inside the first Powerplay. Leading the undoing of the visitors' line-up was Mir herself, who removed opener Murshida Khatun for 4 and No. 3 Sanjida Islam in consecutive overs, leaving Bangladesh tottering on 9 for 2. Sharmin Akhter couldn't muster a score beyond 20 and Fargana Hogue, the No. 4 batsman, too, fell after getting into the 20s.
The want of partnerships continued to compound Bangladesh's woes as only wicketkeeper-batsman Nigar Sultanamade a half-century for the visitors while four batsman departed after getting into the 20s. Bangladesh's highest partnership - stitched together by Hoque and captain Rumana Ahmed for the fourth wicket - yielded only 38.
Meanwhile, Pakistan's spin trio, comprising Mir, Nashra Sandhu and debutant Sadia Iqbal, returned 7 for 115 from their combined 28.4 overs, including figures of 2 for 38 off Sadia's allocated 10 overs of left-arm orthodox spin. Medium-pacer Diana Baig complemented the spinners with 2 for 43 off her 10 overs, helping skittle Bangladesh out for 186 in 47.4 overs.
As with the visiting side, Pakistan's batsmen failed to play out the entire 50 overs as experienced bowling allrounder Jahanara Alam struck thrice during her 10 overs at the expense of 44 runs, dismissing two set batsmen in captain Bismah Maroof and Aliya Raiyaz for 39 and 37 respectively. However, unlike Bangladesh, the hosts, who had opted to bat, strung three fifty stands, with Player of the Match Nahida involved in two of them.
The top-scorer across sides, Nahida added 59 with Sidra Ameen for the opening stand, and then took Pakistan past 100 with a 69-run third-wicket partnership with Maroof. Nahida struck seven fours en route to her enterprising 97-ball 68 before she holed out to Ahmed off namesake Nahida Akter.
After Nahida's dismissal in the 36th over, Umaima Sohail and Aliya Riyaz put on 53 off 50 balls during their fifth-wicket stand. However, it wasn't long before Pakistan suffered a collapse that saw them lose 5 for 27, the departure of Mir for 2 triggering the breakdown. The hosts folded inside 49 overs but not before they had put up a total that proved enough for them to take a 1-0 lead in series, having clinched the preceding T20I series 3-0.
WTA Finals: Elina Svitolina though to final after Belinda Bencic retires injured

Defending champion Elina Svitolina reached the WTA Finals showpiece in Shenzhen when a tearful Belinda Bencic retired injured in their semi-final.
The Ukrainian, 25, had fought back to lead 5-7 6-3 4-1 when Swiss Bencic, 22, pulled out with cramp.
Bencic took the opening set - the first dropped by Svitolina in the tournament - minutes after taking a medical timeout for a leg injury at 6-5.
The Swiss, broken twice in the second set, battled on but could not finish.
Bencic is the fourth player to suffer an injury at the women's end-of-season event featuring the world's top eight players, following the withdrawals of Canada's Bianca Andreescu, Naomi Osaka and the Japanese two-time Grand Slam champion's replacement at the Finals, Kiki Bertens.
Svitolina, ranked eighth in the world, said she was "sad" for Bencic and hoped she would recover for next season.
The Ukrainian will play Australian Ashleigh Barty or Czech Karolina Pliskova, the top two players in the world, in Sunday's final.
"I will leave everything out on court in the final to lift that trophy again," Svitolina said.
'When I was a kid all I was thinking about was getting my next meal'

South Africa captain Siya Kolisi hopes winning the World Cup in Japan will "inspire every kid" back home.
The Springboks won a record-equalling third world title after beating England 32-12 in a dominant performance in Yokohama.
Kolisi, who became the first black South African captain to lift the William Webb Ellis Trophy, says victory will "pull the country together".
"We had one goal and we have achieved it," said Kolisi.
"A lot of us in South Africa just need an opportunity and there are so many untold stories."
The 28-year-old flanker wears the iconic number six jersey for the Springboks, which was the same number worn by Nelson Mandela when he handed the same trophy in 1995 to South Africa captain Francois Pienaar - who also wore number six.
Kolisi, who grew up up in a poor township of Zwide, just outside Port Elizabeth on the Eastern Cape, flew his father abroad for the first time to watch him represent his country in Japan.
He added: "You can never forget where you come from or the people who have helped you get here so I just wanted to celebrate with him [his father].
"Growing up, I never dreamed of a day like this at all. When I was a kid all I was thinking about was getting my next meal."
The skipper said coach Rassie Erasmus told the players they were not just playing for themselves, but for all of South Africa. The country is suffering an economic crisis with unemployment at 29% and Kolisi said he has "never seen south Africa like this".
Springbok try scorers Makazole Mapimpi, who also comes from a poor township like Kolisi, and Cheslin Kolbe are both black and the skipper said his side's performance shows how "different races can come together".
"We have so many problems in our country but a team like this, from different backgrounds, achieved our goal," he added.
"Coach Rassie supported me when I was 18 years old and I've been working hard since then."
'Rugby brings hope'
South Africa coach Erasmus echoed his captain's comments, saying rugby is "privilege" after leading his country to glory in his first World Cup as coach.
"In South Africa pressure is not having a job, pressure is one of your friends being murdered," he said.
"Rugby shouldn't be something that creates pressure on you, it brings hope.
"Hope is when you play well and people watch you on Saturday, have a nice barbecue and watch the game and feel good after."
Erasmus took the decision to hand Kolisi the armband in May last year and the Springboks coach said it is "tough" for his captain to tell his story.
"It's easy to talk about going through hard times and struggling to get opportunities, but it's tough to tell people that there were days when I didn't have food or shoes to wear," he said.
"And when you sit down and think about it clearly, and think there was a stage when Siya went through stuff like that, then he sits here as captain holding this trophy.
"That should sum up what Siya is."
Analysis
South Africa's 2007 World Cup winning captain John Smit on BBC Radio 5 Live
Even as a guy who has won it, this is a far bigger occasion because of where we are as a country at the moment and where we are going. I always wondered if it was too much of a fairytale to see Siya win the trophy, but it could not have happened at a better time. To see a guy like Siya be able to lift the World Cup trophy, it will have a significant impact on our country.
In a team that used to represent segregation, but now represents unity, to be led by a black African man is more significant than anyone could ever imagine. This team has handled this emotional rollercoaster so well and they have acknowledged their responsibility. Today was magical.
Former Springboks captain Jean de Villiers
The significance is so much more than just a rugby game that's been won, it's for the whole country. We've been in the doldrums but they've been able to get themselves out of it and lift that beautiful trophy.
Schalk Burger, a member of the 2007 World Cup-winning team
We thought England's performance in the semi-final [against New Zealand] was the performance of the World Cup but this performance was just outstanding. The thing I enjoyed most about it was our attitude. We played rugby the way only the Springboks can and we dominated every facet of play.
Social media reaction - 'What a story'
Rugby World Cup final: England failed to meet goal after defeat, says Eddie Jones

Eddie Jones says he cannot explain why England came up short after his side failed to achieve their goal of winning the World Cup in Japan.
England were beaten 32-12 by South Africa in the final in Yokohama.
It came a week after England knocked out three-time champions New Zealand in the semi-final in one of the best performances in Jones' tenure as coach.
"I'm not sure why we came up short today, sometimes you never know," said the England head coach.
"Sometimes you can investigate but you'll never know why it happened. We're going to be kicking stones now for four years, we're massively disappointed."
Captain Owen Farrell kicked four penalties for England, but Handre Pollard replied with six for South Africa before tries from Makazole Mapimpi and Cheslin Kolbe put the game beyond Jones' side.
The Australian has a contract with England until 2021 but said it was "not the time to discuss" his future after the defeat.
"We are the second best team in the world," added Jones, who lost the 2003 final to England while coaching the Wallabies but was a consultant to South Africa the last time the Springboks won the trophy in 2007.
"We didn't meet our goal to be the best team in the world, but we are the second best team in the world, so I think that's how we should be remembered.
"The players prepared tremendously well for this World Cup. I thought they played with a lot of pride and passion, and we got caught short today.
"These things happen, but we can't doubt the effort of the players. I thought they were extraordinary.
"The only thing I am worried about now is having a few beers, and that's the only thing we will worry about.
"And then after we have a few beers today, we will probably have a few more beers tomorrow and maybe Monday, and then maybe we will have to pull up stumps."
Defeat 'heartbreaking' for England
England scrum-half Ben Youngs says it will take a long time to get over the defeat.
"We're devastated," he said. "It's been an unbelievable effort, it hasn't just been this tournament, it's been a huge lead-up to this and it's heartbreaking.
"It will take a while to get over this."
Captain Farrell added: "[We're] proud to be a part of it, proud to have come as far as we've come.
"Today didn't go our way but we've enjoyed this tournament and a lot of people have put a lot of work into us.
"The squad has enjoyed its time here in Japan, the competition as a whole. It's been fantastically run and we've loved our time here."
Matt Dawson, World Cup-winning scrum-half in 2003, says it is important to "look after" England's players after the loss.
"The England players will have to be looked after here," he told BBC Radio 5 Live.
"It's a while before they play again in an England jersey. Some will think about whether they'll take it on and go through that again."
'One of the most painful experiences'
Fly-half George Ford says England were "nowhere near good enough" to win Saturday's final, but insists Jones' side "will come back".
"Congratulations to South Africa, I thought they executed their plan brilliantly," Ford told BBC Radio 5 Live.
"I couldn't be prouder of the lads, they've been brilliant all tournament up front, they just did a job on us today.
"It's obviously a huge disappointment for our side. We wanted to finish it off today but we were nowhere near good enough to do that.
"We've come a long way and it's probably the most together squad I've ever been a part of."
Lock Maro Itoje says his England team-mates "are trying to draw positives out of the journey" and is already looking towards the 2023 tournament in France.
"It is not exactly a disco in there," the 25-year-old said about the England dressing room. "But we are united, we are sticking together, we are talking to each other and consoling each other.
"We want to get better and most of this squad will be at the next one. It is a long way away to think about now but our goal is to do better next time around.
"Losing this game was one of the most painful experiences that I have had in life, not just my rugby career. It is not easy.
"It is a tough time and tough period to go through but if we stay together then I am sure all will be well in the long run.
"We are disappointed to lose. Our goal was to win the World Cup and we have fallen short."
'It is special to be a part of this'
Wing Jonny May says it will be "special" to reflect on England's tournament once the dust settles on their final defeat.
"I will keep that [silver] medal and I am sure that once everything calms down and you come back into your own body - it is special to be a part of this - an England player in a World Cup in Japan," he said.
"There have been some great moments. I couldn't have done any more and the team couldn't have done any more. It's just what happened. It has been special to represent our country."
Joe Marler says he was "really gutted" to see fellow prop Kyle Sinckler taken off with concussion in the third minute but believes he will continue to improve along with the rest of the England squad.
"This team, if they keep developing as they have, they will dominate for a long period and that is a joy to see," said Marler.
"I have thoroughly enjoyed my time over the last 10 weeks and seeing the growth of the youngsters. They have got a bright future."