Australia’s Four Nations campaign is back on track but only after holding off a fast-finishing England 26-16 at DW Stadium in Wigan on Saturday.
Having cruised to a comfortable 26-0 lead at the break, Australia held on for dear life as they finished with 12 men after Johnathan Thurston was sent to the sin bin for holding down the tackled player with seven minutes left on the clock and the visitors leading 26-12.
Winger Lee Smith reduced that margin to just ten when he scampered down the right edge where Thurston had been stationed in defence, but time ran out on the home side, who would have been left devastated by the first half capitulation.
It took only four minutes for Australia to get on the board with Lockyer starting and finishing the movement which took him level with Ken Irvine (33) for most Test tries for the Kangaroos.
A pair of penalties to the home side earned Johnathan Thurston a talking to from referee Steve Ganson for a double bout of backchat, but the leg-up proved to be no help as lock Kevin Sinfield could only find Anthony Watmough in support as he lurched towards the tryline.
Then came the eight-minute blitzkrieg in which the visitors blew the game wide open, England’s right-side defence cut to shreds with Billy Slater collecting a double before Greg Inglis pounced on an England dropped ball to run 80 metres for a 22-0 scoreline after as many minutes.
The Kangaroos had successfully taken the emotion out of the game as 23,122 fans that had packed into DW Stadium began to fear a repeat of the 52-4 drubbing when the sides last met in last year’s World Cup.
With Cameron Smith making way for Robbie Farah, the Kangaroos seemed to lose their way, but they were soon keeping the scoreboard attendant busy again.
A Danny McGuire intercept attempt on his own line went horribly wrong as the the Australian’s pounced on the lose ball to hand Brett Morris his second try in as many Tests and the visitors an unassailable 26-0 halftime lead.
Booed by their home fans as they left the field at the break, England soon had them cheering with South-Sydney bound Sam Burgess slamming the ball down thanks to a nice inside ball from James Roby.
The rendition of Bon Jovi’s Living on a Prayer as the video referee deliberated on Burgess’ try summed up the home side’s chances, but it appeared those prayers were being answered when Burgess claimed a second in the 53rd minute.
The man in the box correctly ruled the ball had been knocked dead by Justin Hodges, but England were proving there would be no surrender with the packed stands suddenly finding voice as well.
They got even louder when Gareth Ellis reduced the margin to 14 but, with just 11 minutes left on the clock, it looked like England were leaving their run a little late.
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November 2nd 2009 @ 10:19am
Matt S said | November 2nd 2009 @ 10:19am | Report comment
Working class rugger, rugby league may not get the big international crowds you are so used to but that’s the reality. Fortunately it was live on BBC (is the Wallabies v England game?) infront of a big audience. Those are the things to build on.
Also, some of the tries, the Wallabies can only dream of. Go the Roos!!
Added, the French lacks depth full stop! With 9 players out injured, they were always going to struggle. The team included guys who play club league in France and are only semi pro. if Toulouse get a super league license Ii think the French will improve. At the moment they are the Italy of the 6 nations and that has taken them a long time.
November 2nd 2009 @ 10:24am
Matt S said | November 2nd 2009 @ 10:24am | Report comment
Working class rugger, the atmosphere of the French game in Toulouse was never going to come out as Sky commentators were covering the game in their Sky studios back in the UK taking the French broadcast. So that explains why one could hardly hear the crowd. Added, tell me what home crowd in any sport would be cheering wildly while being thrashed? the atmosphere by reports was pretty good up till early in the second half.
By the way, what is it with those empty stadiums for the premier NPC semis? I though union was booming in NZ?
November 2nd 2009 @ 2:16pm
Working Class Rugger said | November 2nd 2009 @ 2:16pm | Report comment
Matt
Just because they were recieving a direct feed from French TV doesn’t eliminate the sound. I could hear the Kiwi’s calling play from my feed. And still the stadium was very quite. Especially for a game in France. I watched Top 14 games regularly and they are very noisy. Great atmosphere. The French League game was dead.
As for the crowds at the Semi’s of the NPC. Yes, they were disappointing. Wellington fans never seem to show up for anything other than the Final. This season the NPC have been very good particularly at the provincial level. And as Oikee has stated ‘its all about the TV ratings’ and those have been excellent.
November 2nd 2009 @ 1:10pm
oikee said | November 2nd 2009 @ 1:10pm | Report comment
The poms have some exciting young players, thank goodness they are to skinny and small for union.
November 2nd 2009 @ 11:35pm
Tom Alexander. said | November 2nd 2009 @ 11:35pm | Report comment
Don’t speak too soon. there are already whispers concerning some of the more cashed up Rugby Union Clubs showing interest in young dynamo Eastmond and a few others. With the World Cup in NZ just a few years away, and depending on the results of the upcoming tournaments (Wallabies and 6 Nations) etc, it wouldn’t surprise me if one of these Rugby Union Clubs (French or English) will make an offer to sign up some of these players to add to their already impressive stable of athletes.
November 3rd 2009 @ 11:23am
Matt S said | November 3rd 2009 @ 11:23am | Report comment
So working class rugger, what are you trying to say? The french think league’s boring? League should halt all development in France? Tthe Vichy collaborators have finally got their victory?