Sunday, June 20, 2010
England edge the Wallabies in Sydney to draw the series
Center Matt Giteau returned to the Wallaby side to score all 20 of their points, crossing for two great tries, but missed a crucial kick from right out in front with only ten minutes left in the game. One might be tempted to say it was karma at play after he looked to have milked the penalty after minimal contact with English centre Shontayne Hape.
"It's not my proudest moment. But these things happen, you've just got to move forward," Giteau said afterwards.
Earlier in the game Ben Youngs scored a superb individual try as he sniped through the defense, and then Chris Ashton did something similar with his effort.
Jonny Wilkinson came on as a replacement and kicked the deciding penalty as it was ultimately a successful return to Sydney for him. After the game, he said he could relate to the unfortunate missed kick of Giteau.
"There's nothing harder than to stand up each week and take the shots and when that happens, which it does to everyone, it takes even more strength to stand up and go on," Wilkinson said.
"And something he does is stands up and goes on every time. It's just one of those things that happens once in a very very blue moon, and when it does it's tough to take.
"I've done it more times that he has. Fair play to him, he's an enormous professional, an awesome player and he showed that today regardless of whether he kicked another one."
England coach Martin Johnson said the win should answer some critics of his team.
"There's been a lot of negativity around them at times in terms of their ability and what they do on the field so they've been mentally pretty tough to come through that and play well," Johnson said.
"It is really good for the players and coaches. It doesn't happen that often so to win one here is pretty special," he added.
Time: 05:04
Posted at 5:24 pm | 73 comments
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Viewing 73 comments
Scotsdale June 20, 2010 5:15 pm

rosh June 20, 2010 5:26 pm

Anonymous June 20, 2010 5:35 pm

All in all excellent stuff boys, keep bringing in the youth as they are making England a more dynamic unit!
Phil June 20, 2010 6:06 pm

The Schpoople Master June 20, 2010 6:09 pm

Anonymous June 20, 2010 6:10 pm

Anonymous June 20, 2010 6:15 pm

Great game
Anonymous June 20, 2010 6:44 pm

miner June 20, 2010 7:44 pm

Glad England won it. I feel like Youngs' try came off a sort of bum call, though, since Brown (the Aussie) was one of the tacklers - so was he really offsides (overall, I think the Wallabies got pissed on by the referee)? Great effort though - some sneaky scrumhalf stuff...like something du Preez would do.
It looked like England finally learned something after losing a match. They put pressure on Cooper and basically made him a non-factor for the almost the entire match, and they got the ball out to their backs...which led to tries (who would'a thought?)
Why did Wilko even bothered coming on the tour, though? 30 minutes for the game's highest point scorer ever? I get that Johnson is pretty dead-set on Flood for the RWC, but the kid can sure play some stale rugby.
As for Giteau's 70th minute dive...pathetic! Somebody must be watching a bit too much of the World Cup.
Anonymous June 20, 2010 7:57 pm

Well done England you deserved to win just for that shameful act alone.
Bokke_2007 June 20, 2010 8:19 pm

peterson June 20, 2010 8:27 pm

H June 20, 2010 8:52 pm

castigliano June 20, 2010 8:57 pm

Anonymous June 20, 2010 8:58 pm

john June 20, 2010 8:59 pm

australia have lost to scotland and england in the past year
come on northan hemisphere!!
BigBucks June 20, 2010 9:05 pm

Joost June 20, 2010 9:15 pm

Bring in Haskell at no 8 for Easter and Geraghty at 12 for Hape, and keep Wilkinson as back up and they are on!
BTW, Lewis Moody is a machine... kept Cooper on his toes all the match.
caulkin June 20, 2010 9:25 pm

And BigBucks, I think it was Hape (not Youngs) who sent Gits reeling like it was a Robert Rodriguez film.
caulkin June 20, 2010 9:25 pm

And BigBucks, I think it was Hape (not Youngs) who sent Gits reeling like it was a Robert Rodriguez film.
Anonymous June 20, 2010 9:26 pm

Juggernauter June 20, 2010 9:28 pm

Put Hape and Flutey aside, and bring the English fellas on board!
Geraghty, Allen, Turner-Hall, Waldouck, Goode, Barkley, have done enough to deserve a place!
Bagman June 20, 2010 9:51 pm

Anonymous June 20, 2010 10:03 pm

-Ken Gardener
Bokke_2007 June 20, 2010 10:22 pm

Smark June 20, 2010 10:31 pm

Anonymous June 20, 2010 10:34 pm

Anonymous June 20, 2010 11:12 pm

you're a cock June 20, 2010 11:30 pm

granite June 20, 2010 11:44 pm

Didn't watch the game, but it looked from the highlights that England exploited (very well) some lapses in Australian defense.
And yes, Giteau dived. Probably cashing in a little on the fact he gets targeted in a lot of games (Fiji being a prime example).
J June 20, 2010 11:48 pm

Should have been a definite card on the English player who pushed over Giteau at the end too..
Anonymous June 20, 2010 11:50 pm

Benjamin Saunders June 20, 2010 11:51 pm

Anonymous June 20, 2010 11:54 pm

Rowan DeBues June 21, 2010 1:32 am

And yes, ideally Giteau would have got one of his last two misses (not the diving one preferably) and then Wilkinson lines up a 25 meter drop goal with his right foot just to the left of the posts to seal the win in the final minute.
elvis June 21, 2010 1:34 am

They did complain about the scrums, but...well, it's just in their nature to complain when the Wallabies are sucking at something, just as Brian Moore complains when England get pinged (also, Poite is horrible at managing scrums, it seems). But they acknowledged that it was a completely different English attitude/playing style from what it was the week before and were quick to admit how good Youngs, Lawes, Ashton, etc. played.
I can only hope they pick on Giteau for his terrible nancy boy dive.
(u-p)rick June 21, 2010 2:09 am

...I mean come on...20-21 hardly out of the woods yet are they...
As luck has it they won....but it wasn't entirely convincing and whilst England will ofcourse build on the performance I can't see it leading to anything in the next few matches.....
So watch the comments or it will be humble pie all round!!!
Jeremy June 21, 2010 2:20 am

Joost June 21, 2010 2:44 am

Nah.
Anonymous June 21, 2010 2:57 am

Moody suffocated Cooper all match long and was always the first to charge down kicks, flying in the process. What a player and what a leader!
Borthwick would have lost a couple line out balls, missed a few tackles, commited some penalties and got into a scuffle. No place fr you in the secon row of Lawes and Palmer, buddy.
I wear purple boots June 21, 2010 2:59 am

Moody suffocated Cooper all match long and was always the first to charge down kicks, flying in the process. What a player and what a leader!
Borthwick would have lost a couple line out balls, missed a few tackles, commited some penalties and got into a scuffle. No place fr you in the secon row of Lawes and Palmer, buddy.
BigWhit June 21, 2010 7:24 am

HD June 21, 2010 7:57 am

Benson June 21, 2010 8:04 am

Anonymous June 21, 2010 9:11 am

greets from Holland (yes we play rugby too)
iceman! June 21, 2010 9:12 am

Madflyhalf June 21, 2010 11:42 am

Moody yes obscured Cooper, but all England started from the middle of the rucks and not from behind the last feet.
Amazing the ref never blowed that
Anonymous June 21, 2010 12:19 pm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0gq_uKOSTU&feature=popular
Sam June 21, 2010 1:41 pm

beyond all of that however gits didn't even get ready for that kick right in front he missed, watch him set it up, not even a moments consideration; too cocky, didnt realize the importance of it, aussies payed the price.
Huh!! the 3rd June 21, 2010 2:09 pm

Crouch... am?.. Touch.. Pause ... Engage(z).
Evenly matched game in the end a couple of missed kicks (3 each i think) could've changed result.
Pierre June 21, 2010 2:28 pm

I wonder what the SA coach think ?
Ted June 21, 2010 3:20 pm

If you realise the next time England get together will be to play the ABs I think that puts it into perspective.
Anonymous June 21, 2010 5:35 pm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJX9gvNHYWQ&feature=related
View Video
juan June 21, 2010 6:36 pm

That, and I'm sure a lot of NZ supporters are a little resentful of how easily de Rossi fell after having his shirt pulled (especially if they're mostly rugby fans).
---------
Anyways, that's neither here nor there since it has nothing to do with the game. I thought England managed to really outplay OZ the entire match. I know it was only a 1 point difference, but it's still something to be proud of (beating the number 3 side in the world), especially if the past year you've seemed to either play like crap the whole match or let it all slip away in the second half.
So, I'd say we saw an improved England side last weekend. Here's to hoping they keep it up.
Anonymous June 21, 2010 7:17 pm

It's good to see a Aussie fans taking it graciously (at least on this board) and glad to see England fans (me being one of them) Enjoying an England performance for a change.
Let's hope the ABs game is played with as much passion.
Madflyhalf June 22, 2010 9:48 am

Italian football team against NZ deserved a defeat, not a draw!!!!
NZ All Whites deserves to move on to playoff, instead of us!
And I remember how we beat Australia in 2006 WC: Totti diving over an OZ player... penalty!
a shame!
Well... let's continue watching, talking and playing rugby!!!
Anonymous June 22, 2010 1:59 pm

Anonymous June 22, 2010 7:00 pm

I went back to watch the vid again and there's nothing wrong with wagging your finger the way he did. He wasn't in anyone's face or anything. And that wasn't a push, it was a hand on the back with nothing it. Lord knows how you'd respond against something serious.
-Ken Gardener
Fridge June 22, 2010 7:28 pm

vinniechan June 23, 2010 5:59 am

vinniechan June 23, 2010 6:01 am

He did made some huge carries in this game, but he made some mistakes as well.
Bottom line is, as long as he is still undroppable, it's really hard to build depth at no8.
vinniechan June 23, 2010 6:07 am

Why did Palmer take so long to get recognition? He has always played well everytime in an England Jersey. He made 15 tackles in the first test and put Ashton through a gap for a try in the second. He is 31 now already.
Anonymous June 24, 2010 4:15 am

----------------------------------
What, and no comment about Genia whacking Youngs in the back of the head as he stood up from his try?
Anonymous June 24, 2010 3:48 pm
















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