Australia scrum stands tall
Sat, 15 Nov 2008 19:32
Passing game: Australian scrumhalf Luke Burgess
Australia retained the Cook Cup with a well-deserved 28-14 win over England at Twickenham on Saturday in a game that provided some outstanding action but which ultimately went the way of the visitors.
A packed Twickenham Stadium welcomed both teams on to the pitch and, with the formalities done, the eagerly anticipated clash between Steve Borthwick’s England and Stirling Mortlock’s Australian side got underway.
The match as a whole was a thrilling affair with phases of play stretching for minutes on end and both sides seemingly happy to play a positive game when the opportunities were there.
All the talk in the buildup to the great clash this weekend had put the focus on the 'weak' Australian scrum, and just how great the dominance of England would be - all that was proved to be folly.
Admittedly the first half provided a hugely frustrating time at the scrum, with freekick’s and penalties resulting from all but one of the set phases.
With just three minutes gone in the game Matt Giteau calmly slotted home the games first penalty attempt for Australia. It would be the first of six successful attempted for the Western Force star and gave the Wallabies the early advantage.
Another penalty quickly followed from an attacking Australian penalty and, before England even knew it, they were six points behind.
An incredible first ten minutes shocked the home crowd but actually ended up setting the tone for the rest of the fixture. Turnovers came from both sides as the two teams went through minutes of continuous play - both willing to attack the opposition from all over the park but then frustratingly losing the ball at the highly contested breakdowns.
England finally got their first chance to put points on the board when referee Marius Jonker awarded them a penalty just inside their half with 13 minutes gone. It was an effort Danny Cipriani will not want to repeat - swinging well wide.
With twenty minutes of play gone and the frantic game play continued. Unbelievable stuff and it was only a matter of time before Cipriani found space. The 21 year-old broke the line with some dazzling footwork, just inside his half, but the resulting second phases saw Lee Mears pushed into touch just a metre out from the line.
The Wallaby clearance from the Lineout fell to Delon Armitage. The Irish star, who had such a fantastic debut just last week lined up a audacious drop goal attempt - to the surprise of everyone, including himself, it sailed through the posts and England were on the board.
The scrums were by this time a bit of a joke. Over the 20 minutes of play not a single scrum had run its course, freekick’s and penalties going each way.
Giteau added his third and fourth efforts with 28 and 31 minutes on the board but England were showing signs of starting to dominate possession despite their goal kicker, Cipriani, wasting a couple opportunities.
All of a sudden England broke. An up and under from Armitage was well chased by the man himself and Danny Care and, with the ball spilt from their tackle on Adam Ashley-Cooper, England marched on the line. Forward drive after forward drive, flank James Rees appeared to get over the line but the TMO could not be sure.
A strong Wallaby scrum nearly ruined the home sides attack but some good interplay from the front row, followed by a pick and drive from Nick Easter, finally earned England the first try of the day. Cipriani's conversion though was unsuccessful.
England finished the half with all the momentum. Their forward pack particularly taking control in open play. With just a minute of play left in the first forty Cipraini finally got his first points of the afternoon.
The second half also started in a hugely competitive fashion. Both sides creating half chances, taking the ball through phases but both also seemingly unable to make the make their chances count.
With 48 minutes gone it was again Cipriani who set the game alight. A fantastic break, from within his own half got England up to just 15 metres out from the goal line.Martin Johnson must have been close to pulling his hair out though as his team, now dominant failed to make the pressure count.
England eventually got the lead with 50 minutes gone, Cipriani slotting his second penalty to make it 14-12.
Australia though almost hit back immediate. A charged down Care clearance had to be rescued by Cipriani but the Australians had a five metre attacking scrum.
A resulting penalty saw Giteau return the Tri-Nations back to the lead with his fifth successful strike from six attempts. Just a couple minutes later and it was another three points for the No.10, taking his, and his teams tally to 18 and giving the visitors a four point cushion.
One of the big talking points during all of the pre-match chat had been the scrums and while they seemed happy to collapse the scrum in the first half, the Wallaby pack really stepped up in the second forty.
Benn Robinson particularly took Matt Stevens apart to win the Aussies yet another penalty in the 65th minute. Mortlock, known for his long distance efforts, gave the ball a real thump and took the Australian points tally up to 21.
It was all Wallabies now. Their forwards, buoyed by their front row's efforts were taking control. Wycliff Palu, a replacement for Richard Brown, was a menace with ball in hand, constantly taking yards with powerful runs.
Sustained pressure then finally told with 68 minutes gone, Adam Ashley-Cooper crossing in the corner unopposed after a number of phases by the visiting side just metres short of the England line.
The home side finished the game on the attack, spending almost five minutes inside the opposition 22. The sad truth though for Borthwick's troops was that they had really not been able to break the Australian line effectively all afternoon. For all their strong forward play, outside of Cipriani’s two breaks, the England backline had taken a pounding from Mortlock and co.’s aggressive defence.
A hugely disappointing afternoon for Martin Johnson and his England side all in all. Far from outplayed the home side had periods in the game where they could have made the Australians pay but they lacked a finishing touch which may have made it a closer finish that it ultimately proved to be.
For Australia the result is a great feather in the cap of coach Robbie Deans and captain Stirling Mortlock. Hooker Stephen Moore was named the official man-of-the-match but really anyone of the Wallaby front row would have deserved the award. Mortlock too, strong both on attack and in the defensive line, should take huge credit for helping his team to a memorable win in this weekend’s encounter.
Man of the Match
As mentioned above it is hard to disagree with the nomination of Moore as the MOM but the rugby365 award goes to Stirling Mortlock. The outstanding leader in the Wallaby team Mortlock provided both go forward in attack and a stone wall in defence. Benn Robinson deserves a mighty high-five but Mortlock’s inspirational display gets our magnum of Champagne.
Moment of the Match
With 65 minutes gone an English scrum was obliterated by the Wallaby pack. Having threatened to be dominant throughout the second half the Aussie trio of Baxter, Robinson and Moore really put the heat on and won a vital penalty for Australia to put them seven points clear with time running out.
For England Cipriani's two breaks provided some great encouragement but his teammates failure to be on his shoulder meant they were nothing more than moments of individual brilliance.
Villain of the match
No real villain on the day – just some big England prop forwards with some egg on their faces perhaps.
The scorers:
For England
Tries: Easter
Pen: Cipriani 2
Drop: Armitage
For Australia
Tries: Adam Ashley-Cooper
Pen: Giteau 6, Mortlock
England: 15 Delon Armitage, 14 Paul Sackey, 13 Jamie Noon, 12 Riki Flutey, 11 Ugo Monye, 10 Danny Cipriani, 9 Danny Care, 8 Nick Easter, 7 Tom Rees, 6 Tom Croft, 5 Tom Palmer, 4 Steve Borthwick (captain), 3 Phil Vickery, 2 Lee Mears, 1 Andrew Sheridan
Replacements: 16 Dylan Hartley, 17 Matt Stevens, 18 Simon Shaw, 19 James Haskell, 20 Michael Lipman, 21 Harry Ellis, 22 Toby Flood
Australia: 15 Adam
Ashley-Cooper, 14 Peter Hynes, 13 Ryan Cross, 12 Stirling Mortlock (captain), 11 Drew Mitchell, 10 Matt Giteau, 9 Luke Burgess, 8 Richard Brown, 7 George Smith, 6 Hugh McMeniman, 5 Nathan Sharpe, 4 Mark Chisholm, 3 Al Baxter, 2 Stephen Moore, 1 Benn Robinson.
Replacements: 16 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 17 Matt Dunning, 18 Dean Mumm, 19 Wycliff Palu, 20 Sam Cordingley, 21 Quade Cooper, 22 Digby Ioane.
Referee: Marius Jonker (South Africa)
Touch Judges: Bryce Lawrence (New Zealand), Tim Hayes (Wales)
TMO: Nigel Whitehouse (Wales)
