England dashes Aussie hopes with last gasp try

Sat, May 20, 2017, 3:30 PM
Jill Scanlon
by Jill Scanlon
Dan Bibby avoids a Kennewell (R) tackle  (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images
Dan Bibby avoids a Kennewell (R) tackle (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images

Australia has lost its second pool game of the day to old foe England going down 19-12 in the dying seconds of the game.

Dan Norton starred as he ran in his 257th career try to give England the victory.

Scores were tied as the game drew to a close in what had been a tight contest.

The Aussies impressed with their quick movement of the ball as Killingworth ran in the opening try.

England answered through Phil Burgess but with no conversion Australia led 7-5 at half-time.

Simon Kennewell extended the lead scoring his 13th try for the series in what has been an impressive debut.

But ultimately there was no stopping ‘Dan the Man’ as Norton scored England’s second to level the scores and then broke Australian hearts with his second on the siren.

Australia may need to look at its discipline as Norton’s first try to tie up the game came while the Aussies were down to six with Killingworth in the sin-bin.

Liam McNamara had also been yellow-carded in the earlier game against Samoa, but with little effect on that result.

Australia will play Spain at 2.54am AEST to finish its pool games.

With the strong possibility of a second win, the subsequent match between England and Samoa may dictate whether the Aussies progress through to the quarter finals.

 

Stannard stars in early Aussie domination

The Australian Men’s sevens team has started its London campaign with a dominating win over Samoa 34-5.

Captain James Stannard led by example as he scored three of Australia’s six tries and racked up his 1000 point milestone in World Rugby Sevens.

Within the first three minutes, Lachie Anderson opened the scoring quickly followed by Stannard who got his first with some great play off the restart.

Following a third Aussie try from John Porch, James Stannard racked up a double after some good work by Boyd Killingworth in securing the turnover.

Australia led 22-0 at the break with Samoa failing to get much of the possession through the first half.

Stannard scored his third try of the match and then assisted in Australia’s sixth with a floating high pass to Brandon Quinn with less than a minute left on the clock.

The Aussies defensive work was strong with Samoa struggling to get to the scoreline when it did get possession of the ball.

Joe Perez ran in a try as the final siren sounded enabling Samoa to avoid a clean sheet, but the Aussies had just been too strong playing with a seemingly impenetrable determination.

Share
Test backrow battle looms large ahead of QLD-ACT double header in Brisbane
Super Rugby Pacific 2024 TOTW: Looking at the best Australian performers from Round Five
Force bolster lock stocks with signing of former Wallaby Sam Carter
Winless Crusaders could 'spiral uncontrollably': coach