After weathering a big storm and ATM scammers during the week in London, the Wallabies were keen to get on the field for the first of five Test matches on their Spring tour.
The Match
After just 80 minutes the Wallabies’ Grand Slam chances are gone after suffering a 20-13 loss to England at Twickenham.
To use a cliché, it was a game of two halves as the Wallabies were held scoreless in the second half after a good first half saw them leading 13-6 at the break.
England scored two tries to one in the win although their second try will be debated after an obstruction call went against the Wallabies.
The performance of referee George Clancy and his assistants will also raise some questions but was not the only reason for the loss with the Wallabies’ poor second half showing contributing.
The Wallabies started off well and had a great attacking chance in the opening minute just outside the England 22 but a poor lineout let the hosts off the hook.
It was England who got the scoring under way with an early penalty to Owen Farrell after the Wallabies were penalised for hanging onto the ball.
The largely inexperienced England side enjoyed the majority of the early ball but the Wallabies were able to keep them out.
New Wallabies Vice-Captain Quade Cooper answered the early England penalty with his own to level the scores after the visitors were finally able to get their hands on the ball.
Farrell had two more chances to extend England’s lead but missed on each occasion from handy positions.
The Wallabies scrum was coming under some pressure with referee George Clancy pinging them for numerous indiscretions in the opening 20 minutes.
The pressure for the Wallabies continued with Clancy’s whistle getting a real workout to give England a leg up.
Farrell’s kicking woes continued with one shot hitting the upright but he was able to land his second on the back of another penalty as their discipline started to become an issue.
It took until the 30 minute mark for the Wallabies to have their best chance of scoring a try and Matt Toomua dived over from close range after some great work from Israel Folau in the leadup as he evaded the England defenders down the left side.
The Wallabies added another penalty to Cooper as the calls started to come their way. England had one last chance to score before half time but couldn’t get anything going with the score at 13-6 in the Wallabies favour at half time.
The second half started with slightly more expansive play from the hosts although they were lucky to get that chance after replays showed fullback Mike Brown’s toe on the line in attempting to stop a Toomua penalty kick finding touch.
From the resulting play both Scott Fardy and Adam Ashley-Cooper had to leave the field due to injury. Ashley-Cooper cut his face in saving a certain Marlon Yarde try and Fardy sadly had to leave the field on a stretcher.
From the lineout, Will Genia’s box kick was charged down and England captain Chris Robshaw dived on the ball to score his team’s first try.
Farrell’s conversion levelled the scores at 13-13 as the crowd started to find their voice.
The Wallabies found themselves on the back foot for the next period of play and Farrell scored a controversial try that looked very much like obstruction in the lead up with an England player loitering in the Wallabies defensive line.
That converted try meant the hosts had scored 14 unanswered points in the second half as the momentum swung their way.
The Wallabies struggled to get their hands on the ball and when they did, they were under pressure in their own half with some errors lucky not to be punished further.
The lack of ball was evident when Quade Cooper attempted a long range penalty goal but that shot was astray as the game entered the final 15 minutes.
The Wallabies had one last chance in the England 22 with just minutes remaining to have a shot at drawing the game but that it came to nothing, summing up the Wallabies’ second half.
Ewen McKenzie will have plenty to think about before they take on Italy in Turin next week with the scrum certain to come under scrutiny after conceding five penalties .
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The Game Changer
Toomua’s ‘touch finder’ from a penalty that was missed by the assistant early in the second half ultimately led to England’s first try.
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The G&GR MOTM
Not an easy task after that loss but Quade Cooper showed glimpses of what he is capable of. Despite some errors, it looks like getting the VC next to his name could help him to mature back into the footballer we know he can be.
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The Details
Crowd: 80,000+
Score & Scorers
[one_half last=”no”]ENGLAND: 20
Tries: Robshaw, Farrell
Conversions: Farrell 2
Penalties: Farrell 2
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[one_half last=”yes”]WALLABIES: 13
Tries: Toomua
Conversions: Cooper
Penalties: Cooper 2
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Cards
Nil
