Match Report - Qantas Wallabies vs England

Rocky Elsom lifts the Cook Cup

The Qantas Wallabies kept their Grand Slam dream alive with a stirring second half performance against England to turn a 9-5 half time deficit into a 18-9 (two tries to nil) victory and retain the Cook Cup at Twickenham on Saturday. (Sunday morning AEDT)

Hammered in the penalty count in the first forty minutes and punished by the boot of English marksmen Jonny Wilkinson the Wallabies put in a disciplined second forty, combining commitment at the breakdown with tenacious defence and intelligent counter attack to record an historic victory.

In the end the result was achieved through individual moments of brilliance through tries to scrumhalf Will Genia and fullback Adam Ashley-Cooper but this was a complete team effort that signals this young Wallabies generation coming of age and will bring a smile to face of under pressure coach Robbie Deans.

There is no better sight in world Rugby – even world sport – than Twickenham, packed to capacity with 82,000 expectant fans.

And that is what greeted the Wallabies as they ran out to begin their Grand Slam campaign on a cold but clear London day, perfect for Rugby.

The crowd observed a moving moments silence in honour of Remembrance Day before rousing renditions of the national anthems.

It was clear the young English side, with the returning Wilkinson were desperate for a win with the anthem sung with as much passion as any haka.

And it was Wilkinson, with what he does so well, kicking drop goals against the Wallabies, who opened the scoring after 2 minutes, slotting the ball over from in front 30 metres out. England up 3-0.

New Zealand referee Bryce Lawrence was seeing things the home team’s way early on with any attacking opportunities for the Wallabies snuffed out with a penalty, often against the attacking team. 

He then harshly penalized Peter Hynes for what looked like a legitimate tackle on English fullback Ugo Moyne.

Wilkinson made no mistake from near the left touchline on the 22 and England were up 6-0 approaching the 10 minute mark.

The Wallabies line out woes from Tokyo were also continuing as the Men of Gold’s first real attacking opportunity in the England 22 was cruelled by a lost line out.

Australia lost another lineout a minute later as England controlled the game comfortably in the early stages.

Wilkinson had a chance to put England further ahead on 13 minutes after another breakdown infringement, this time from Will Genia after a quick lineout throw, but in the first bright spot for the Wallabies his attempt from halfway hit the upright about twenty metres up.

The Wallabies strung together some phases on 17 minutes through some clever interchange between Reds team mates Hynes, Genia and Quade Cooper but with the Wallabies looking dangerous in the English 22 they were penalised again after once more taking the ball into the breakdown.

But on 20 minutes the Wallabies were first to cross the line.

After a solid lineout win on the England 30 metre line – flyhalf Matt Giteau first took it up before quick work at the breakdown saw Ashley-Cooper and James Horwill take the ball close before Genia found some space at the base of the ruck and dived over to score from five metres out.

Giteau missed the conversion but the Wallabies has weathered the early storm to trail 6-5 after a quarter of the game gone.

Some sustained English pressure saw the Wallabies survive two well placed cross field kicks close to their line but they gave up a penalty for slowing the ball up under the posts and Wilkinson notched another penalty. 9-5 to England after 25 minutes.

Genia looked dangerous again two minutes later with Cooper putting him through a half gap but again the move broke down.

Another scrum penalty then took the penalty count to a stunning 6-0 against the Wallabies.

The Wallabies finally got their first penalty on 31 minutes with English winger Dan Banahan straying offside from a box kick but normal service was resumed two minutes later with another English breakdown penalty after a sequence of knock-ons from both teams.

The Men of Gold seemed to be having an ongoing difference of interpretation at the breakdown with Lawrence leading to an almost unending stream of ruck penalties to England.

New English prop David Wilson, who shares a name with a Classic Wallaby captain, was prominent in the loose.

The Wallabies looked dangerous on half time with Stephen Moore popping the ball to Benn Robinson, with the big red-haired prop charging in to the English 22 but he couldn’t find his support.

Then from the ensuing five metre scrum to the Wallabies a big tackle from Wilkinson repelled Giteau and quick work from flanker Lewis Moody saw yet another penalty at the breakdown to England.

Half time was blown shortly afterwards with England leading 9-5.

If the Wallabies were to turn it around in the second half they needed to stem the flow of breakdown penalties and convert more of the counter-attacking opportunities, which was where the Men of Gold looked most dangerous, running the ball back against England “Crusaders” style.

And it was multiple phases returning a clearing kick that saw the Wallabies go so close just minutes into the second half with first Wycliff Palu and then captain Rocky Elsom somehow being stopped inches short by some courageous English defence.

But England were caught offside in their try saving heroics and Giteau landed the penalty attempt from wide out on the left to make it a one point game – Wallabies trailing 8-9.

Now the breakdown penalties were going the Wallabies way and England hooker Steve Thompson was penalized to see the Men of Gold go deep into attack again but once more they were repelled by a brilliant Moody turnover.

The Wallabies were completely dominant in the first ten minutes of the second stanza but the English defence held resolute.

It was the Wallabies turn to defend minutes later after English inside centre Shane Geraghty slipped a tackle and Moyne threatened out wide but this time committed Wallabies defence saw Wilkinson’s flick pass in contact trickle into touch.

The Wallabies then charged down a kick and Hynes and Digby Ioane took the ball into the English 22 with powerful bursts but Ashley-Cooper just failed to re-gather Drew Mitchell’s grubber kick before it went in to touch in goal.

Ioane looked certain to score on 57 minutes as he bounced out of two tackles and reached for the line but once more Moody pull off a miraclous try-saving tackle.

With so much possession it seemed only a matter of time till the English defence was breached and English manager Martin Johnson tried to stem the tide going to the bench and bringing on New Zealand born hooker Dylan Hartley for Thompson, No.8 James Haskell for Jordan Crane and Duncan Bell for the tiring Wilson.

The replacements backfired though as an English scrum went down on their own line and Giteau landed the resultant penalty from wide on the right to put Australia in front 11-9 for the first time in the game.

The Wallabies were now beginning to dominate the breakdowns as they committed more numbers and the weight of possession saw the English defence starting to tire.

Haskell made a break and Wilkinson chipped kick, regathered and flicked pass superbly to Moyne to have the Wallabies defence scrambling but it seemed it was Australia who were finishing stronger.

Deans went to the bench bringing on Tatafu Polota-Nau for Moore and Ryan Cross for Ioane and England swapped scrumhalfs with Paul Hodgson coming on for Danny Care and out wide Ayoola Erinle on for Dan Hipkiss.

Soon after Courtney Lawes came on for lock Louise Deacon for England and David Pocock swapped with Palu in the Wallabies backrow.

England were throwing the ball around with Wilkinson prominent but it was Australia who came up with the decisive score and it was Ashley-Cooper, so often the crucial try scorer for Wallabies in recent Tests, who fought his way over from ten metres out wide, despite the attention of three English defenders.

Giteau landed the conversion to put the Wallabies out to a 18-9 lead with just over seven minutes to play and mid-week captain Dean Mumm came on for Mark Chisholm.

England, with Wilkinson playing like it was 2003, continued to throw everything at the Wallabies, spreading the ball around like a Baa-Baas match.

Continuing the 2003 theme Matt Dunning, a survivor of the 2003 Rugby World Cup final, came on for Ben Alexander at prop in the final minutes.

England continued to attack desperately as the 80 minutes elapsed but tenacious defence from the Men of Gold held them out and Giteau collected a wayward chip kick and booted in to touch to give the Wallabies a famous victory.

Cook Cup Full Time Score

Qantas Wallabies 18 (Will Genia, Adam Ashley-Cooper tries; Matt Giteau two penalties, conversion) defeated England 9 (Jonny Wilkinson 2 penalties, drop goal) at Twickenham, London(Half time: England 9 – Wallabies 5) (Crowd: 82,000)