Australia send hosts England packing
The result – Australia's biggest ever win over England – means the home team became the first host nation in the history of the global showpiece to not make it past the pool stages.
With just one round of pool matches remaining, the Wallabies and Wales are both on 13 points, with England stuck in third place on just six points.
Australia and Wales are now guaranteed the top two places in Pool A, and tickets to the quarterfinals.
They play next Saturday to decide the top dogs in the pool.
Bernard Foley almost single-handed shattered England's World Cup dream.
Foley scored two brilliant tries and kicked 18 points in a historic match – when a late yellow card for Owen Farrell completed England's humiliation.
Australia coach Michael Cheika punched the air with delight as the final whistle went.
His England counterpart Stuart Lancaster cast a forlorn figure, his future now in doubt after losses to Wales and now the Wallabies.
England captain Chris Robshaw said the team was "gutted" and apologised to the nation for the defeat. "We were not good enough," he said.
England were all but out of the World Cup at half-time.
Foley scored a try after 20 minutes and Australia, the Southern Hemisphere Rugby Championship holders, led 17-3 at half-time as they imposed their class.
England fought back after the break but left themselves too much to do.
England stuck with goal-kicking flyhalf Farrell and recalled Jonathan Joseph after the centre missed the Wales match with a chest injury.
Australia may have lost their last two Tests against England, but Cheika chose his strongest side with a backline of Israel Folau and Matt Giteau and a pack including turnover specialists David Pocock and Michael Hooper.
Foley's well-judged grubber kick was taken into touch by Mike Brown to set up an Australia attacking line-out five metres from the England line.
Australia won possession but Brown's thumping tackle on opposing fullback Folau prevented a try.
The Wallabies continued to play the game deep inside England's 22 and went ahead when Foley kicked a seventh-minute penalty for offside awarded by French referee Romain Poite.
Joseph showed his class with a rare break which in turn led to a scrum from which Farrell kicked a penalty to make it 3-all.
But Australia then scored 17 unanswered points, despite wing Rob Horne going off with an arm injury.
Foley scored the opening try when, following a sustained spell of Australia possession, England's defence cracked after the flyhalf sold a dummy from 10 metres out.
He converted his own score and Australia led 10-3.
There was no denying England's commitment but they were struggling to win quick ball as Pocock, well supported by Hooper and Scott Fardy, bossed the breakdown.
Australia then won a penalty off a scrum – England's supposed area of strength.
This led to a second Australia try in the 35th minute when, after a line-out win, Foley's well-weighted inside ball to Kurtley Beale was returned to the No.10 and he went over.
Wales had three times come from 10 points down to beat England last week but overturning a 14-point gap against the Wallabies in 40 minutes would have been an unprecedented feat.
It was not made easier when England started the second half without wing Jonny May. Replacement George Ford came on in his favoured flyhalf position, with Farrell moving into the centres.
Wallaby prop Scott Sio won a scrum penalty on the edge of England's 22 which Foley kicked to make it 20-3.
England had a lifeline in the 55th minute when wing Anthony Watson, after a fine pass by Ford, reached out for a try greeted by a huge roar from a crowd of over 81,000.
Farrell landed the awkward conversion and, with 15 minutes left, his penalty cut Australia's lead to 20-13.
England's glimmer of hope disappeared when they had to play the final nine minutes a man down after Farrell was sin-binned for a 'no-arm' tackle on Matt Giteau.
What should have been an England line-out inside Australia's 22 became a Wallaby penalty 25 metres in front of their own posts. Foley kicked the chance to restore Australia's 10-point lead at 23-13.
Another scrum penalty and another successful goal-kick by Foley hammered the nail into England's World Cup coffin.
Matt Giteau scored the third try in the dying seconds with Foley appropriately adding a last magisterial kick.
Man of the match: Mike Brown had his moments and Jonathan Joseph was the most threatening English back with ball in hand. Ben Morgan was very busy and Joe Launchbury threw his body about like a loose forward. Richard Wigglesworth had the biggest impact of all the replacements, putting the kind of pressure on the Wallaby backs that turns games. Kurtley Beale came on early and made a huger impact. David Pocock was a constant menace at the breakdown, with several turnovers. However, Bernard Foley – with 28 points, including two early tries – produced sublime tactician play to win our award.
Moment of the match: There were two great Bernard Foley tries and one by Anthony Watson. However, the brain explosion by Owen Farrell to execute a Rugby League-like shoulder charge on Matt Giteau – when the latter did not even have the ball – stopped the England comeback dead in its tracks.
Villain of the match: It has become obviously clear to any level-minded observer that French referee Romain Poite does not belong on the international stage. Clueless is the most descriptive word. He is just fortunate his blundering performance did not influence the outcome of the game.
The scorers:
For England:
Try: Watson
Con: Farrell
Pens: Farrell 2
For Australia:
Tries: Foley 2, Giteau
Cons: Foley 3
Pens: Foley 4
Yellow card: Owen Farrell (England, 71 – foul play, shoulder charge into a player without the ball)
Teams:
England: 15 Mike Brown, 14 Anthony Watson, 13 Jonathan Joseph, 12 Brad Barritt, 11 Jonny May, 10 Owen Farrell, 9 Ben Youngs, 8 Ben Morgan, 7 Chris Robshaw, 6 Tom Wood, 5 Geoff Parling, 4 Joe Launchbury, 3 Dan Cole, 2 Tom Youngs, 1 Joe Marler.
Replacements: 16 Rob Webber, 17 Mako Vunipola, 18 Kieran Brookes, 19 George Kruis, 20 Nick Easter, 21 Richard Wigglesworth, 22 George Ford, 23 Sam Burgess.
Australia: 15 Israel Folau, 14 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 13 Tevita Kuridrani, 12 Matt Giteau, 11 Rob Horne, 10 Bernard Foley, 9 Will Genia, 8 David Pocock, 7 Michael Hooper, 6 Scott Fardy, 5 Rob Simmons, 4 Kane Douglas, 3 Sekope Kepu, 2 Stephen Moore (captain), 1 Scott Sio
Replacements: 16 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 17 James Slipper, 18 Greg Holmes, 19 Dean Mumm, 20 Ben McCalman, 21 Nick Phipps, 22 Matt Toomua, 23 Kurtley Beale.
Referee: Romain Poite (France)
Assistant referees: George Clancy (Ireland), Marius Mitrea (Italy)
TMO: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)
@rugby365com & AFP
