Match Details

previous record: played 27	referee :D.McHugh
AUSTRALIA : won 16	crowd :54,868
ENGLAND : won 10	conditions :fine, dry
drawn : 1

On a cold winters evening in Melbourne, under the protective closed roof of the Telstra Dome, one of the years biggest Test matches saw the world champion Vodafone Wallabies clash with the number one ranked side, England - a perfect appetiser for the end of year World Cup. Whilst the English were fielding a full strength side, the Wallabies were still without many key players, and still experimenting with positions and strategies. With Grey promoted to replace Flatley, Mat Rogers moved onto the bench to ease his way back into the side.
In recent clashes in London, England had defeated the Wallabies thanks to the goal kicking brilliance of their vice captain, Jonny Wilkinson ,and with no wind to contend with he would pose a serious threat. But with a winless record in Australia, England would need to produce something special to break their duck and the Wallabies giving their all to stop them.
Waltzing Matilda was sung with great gusto in the enclosed stadium, and then Wilkinson kicked off for the visitors in front of a huge worldwide TV audience in what was widely expected to be a colossal tussle.

The opening minute saw the ref stamp his authority on the game, pinging the English for two infringements, this was followed by a turnover from a bad Wallabies pass and then a forward pass from the English as the teams were trying to settle the nerves. A penalty against Paul allowed the visitors to kick for touch and a lineout on the 22 and then they were on the attack, moving it quickly and using the width of the pitch. The defence was under huge pressure, a ball flicked up to Greenwood saw him crash through two defenders and bring up the first try in the 5th minute, a crucial psychological blow. The Wallabies were on the rebound immediately from the kick off, they moved towards the 22, then Gregan lobbed a kick towards the right touch line where a steaming Sailor took the ball well but ran out of room, the sideline won. The Wallabies continued to nag away, they drew a penalty straight out in front and Roff banged over the three pointer from only 15 metres out.
A few minutes later Roff and Latham combined to send Sailor off down the right touchline for a 40m jaunt but he couldnt make it around the last tackler. It had been a fast and exciting opening 15 minutes with both sides giving the ball plenty of width. Everyone was getting into the spirit of it, forwards from both teams happy to go for a run.

In the 18th minute Roff went scorching down the left wing, but his pass inside went astray and gave the defence time to recover. The turnovers were coming thick and fast, both sides made promising moves forward only to be robbed by casual and unforced errors. Minutes later Roff stole a ball on the left wing, soccering ahead where Turinui nailed Greenwood with the ball and the Englishman was nabbed for holding on.Roff took the penalty shot from wide out, but the ball just scraped the wrong side of the upright and the score remained 3 -7. Then after a solid build up into the Wallabies half in the 30th minute the visitors moved the ball across the field with blinding speed - the ball treated like a hot potato as it was flipped from player to player along the line until Tindall crashed over in the left corner - the Wallabies now under some real pressure to respond before the break.Wilkinsons kick from near the touch line banged into the left upright for no score but from the restart it was England again, this time making too easy a break through the midfield until a Phil Waugh tackle brought it to an end. England were on fire, the momentum with them as they threw wild passes confidently behind a dominating front three. In the 35th minute the English drove 30 metres into the Australian 22 as they took charge of the game. They moved closer and closer to the line, the Wallabies on the back foot.Then a high lob by Wilkinson towards the left corner came unstuck when the receiver's clever fling inside from the touchline went forward, but it was all England as the possession was 2-1 in the visitors favour.
The last few minutes were ticking away with play in the left corner and England trying to bring up try number three with hard driving play interspersed with fast movement across the field.
The siren sounded with England still on the attack, but they obstructed, the Wallabies happy to put an end to the half.
It had been a fast and exciting half that had become progressively more and more exciting for England supporters but not for the home side.The Wallabies would need to come out and play their finest rugby if they were to win this encounter, taking every chance and eliminating their mistake rate - a very large task!

The Wallabies came out full of enthusiasm, taking on the English defence in the opening minutes and working into the 22.Playing under advantage for an offisde infringement the Wallabies threw a forward pass then took a penalty in front. Roff landed the vital kick, the home side trailling by less than a converted try but needing more possession from the restart. Sharpe hobbled off, Vickerman on to replace him. Waugh was cautioned for a high tackle, then Wilkinson kicked for the corner to set up another English assault. A forward pass in midfield saw England cough up possession to Australia and then as the Wallabies attacked through some exciting play by Kefu and Grey the ref pinged the visitors for multiple offside offences, warning the captain and Roff stepped up for a very crucial kick.He kicked truly, the deficit only three points and a very tense finish looming.
From the restart the good work was spoilt as England were awarded a penalty 37 metres out, Wilkinson slid the ball in next to the upright to restore the lead.

After an error in defence by Latham from a high ball in the 55th minute the English had a great platform to attack, Dallaglio driving through before an attacking infringement allowed the Wallabies to counter attack, Turinui picking the ball off his toes to make solid yards. The replacements were coming on, Lyons made a charge through the middle of the field to take it into opposition territory, a penalty allowing an Australian lineout 5 metres out in the left corner, but Johnson stole the ball and it was cleared. Rogers came onto the field, there were 20 minutes left. The turn overs were coming at a crazy rate as the Wallabies trusted their hand and gave the ball air.The defence was desperate, a try to the Wallabies would stand the game on its head - but they needed to keep the ball in hand. A rare English thrust ended with Johnson showing his disgust to a decision by the ref, and was promptly marched back ten metres. The English then used their maul again to shunt the defence backwards before Cohen was sent off by Wilkinson and he weaved his way through the defence to score what appeared to be the match winning try, with the conversion the lead was 13 points, the Wallabies needed two converted tries in the final 15 minutes.
Tuqiri was on for Grey, Kefu made a charge and then Neil Back was warned for a behind the scenes incident. Australia made a charge for the line, Latham trying to slip through before the ball coughed up forward and it was cleared.

In the 71st minute Rogers made a blinding break from midfield and raced through the defenders for the left corner, with the crowd on its feet he got closer and closer, but was brought short by inches as he was bundled into touch.Time was ticking away, the Wallabies still neeeding two converted tries! Again they came, but too often the passes werent held onto, Sailor went for a gallop, then there was an overlap out right as Waugh set off, but the defence filled in. The pace was frantic, the Wallabies trying everything to get back into the game but time was running out, the lost chances costly.Then from a two man lineout on the right, it was moved to Sailor who took off and weaved through the defenders and crashed down in the corner, it was probably too late for victory and with Roffs difficult kick from touch sliding across the face of the goal the gap was more than a converted try - England had won.
From the restart the Wallabies forwards shoved the English back 30 metres, Rogers was flattened in a bone jarring tackle and looked to be in trouble, however there were only seconds left and a last minute penalty by Wilkinson put the cream on their cake.

It was a gallant performance by the Wallabies but they failed to make the most of their opportunities and would need to look further at our attacking options during the coming Tri Nations. Congratulations to England on their historic win, their first ever in Australia - for the next six months they deserve bragging rights over their southern hemisphere counterparts.
In three weeks the Tri Nations begins with the Wallabies away to South Africa - join us then.

AUSTRALIA	14	(3)
tries :W.Sailor
J.Roff  pen (3)
lost to
ENGLAND	25	(12)
tries :W.Greenwood, M.Tindall, B.Cohen
J.Wilkinson conv (2) , pen (2)

SCORING SUMMARY
AUSTRALIA				ENGLAND
Time	Player	Result	Points	Time	Player	Result	Points
10	J.Roff	pen-ok	3	5	W.Greenwood	try	5
27	J.Roff	pen-x	0	6	J.Wilkinson	conv-ok	2
43	J.Roff	pen-ok	3	30	M.Tindall	try	5
51	J.Roff	pen-ok	3	31	J.Wilkinson	conv-x	0
78	W.Sailor	try	5	53	J.Wilkinson	pen-ok	3
79	J.Roff	conv-x	0	63	B.Cohen	try	5
				64	J.Wilkinson	conv-ok	2
				80	J.Wilkinson	pen-ok	3

TEAM STATS
	Scores	Tries	Conversions	Penalties	Drop goals
AUSTRALIA	14	1	0	3	0
ENGLAND	25	3	2	2	0
LEADING KICKERS
	player	pts	attempts	success	accuracy
AUSTRALIA	J.Roff	9	5	3	60.00%
ENGLAND	J.Wilkinson	10	5	4	80.00%

© Australian Rugby Union 2003 all rights are reserved.
Prepared for the ARU by E.Tarik