[mack]

England eliminate Wallabies
Mitch Phillips | October 07, 2007

ENGLAND stunned Australia 12-10 to reach the semi-finals on Saturday as they finally produced a performance worthy of their world champion status in a monumental battle with their old sporting rivals. England's mighty pack earned the victory with an awesome scrummaging display while Jonny Wilkinson, Australia's destroyer in the final four years ago, delivered all the points.
Australia went into the game as huge odds-on favourites but, apart from a first-half Lote Tuqiri try, always struggled to get into the game as they were starved of possession. It was not quite a repeat of the scrum demolition of Twickenham two years ago but near enough to ensure their dangerous backs did most of their work under pressure.

England were unrecognisable from the team thrashed 36-0 by South Africa three weeks ago and can now look forward to a Paris semi-final against either New Zealand or France, who meet later on Saturday in Cardiff (1900 GMT). England produced by far their best first half of the tournament in all areas and their forwards controlled the ball for long periods. The scrum, identified by the world champions as an area of advantage, was initially something of a shambles with Irish referee Alain Rolland penalising both sides after a series of collapses.

Wilkinson and Stirling Mortlock both nailed two and missed two as the swirling wind made goalkicking awkward but Australia claimed the only try of the first half in the 33rd minute. A long period of pressure ended with flyhalf Berrick Barnes showing deft hands to supply the crash-running Mortlock and he set up wing Tuqiri, Australia's tryscorer in the 2003 final, for his first score of the tournament. England, though, regrouped strongly. Mike Catt, in his fourth quarter-final, offered an assured presence at centre while Jason Robinson was a constant threat and they were unfortunate to reach halftime 10-6 behind after Wilkinson's double penalty miss.

The flyhalf, whose 12-point tally took him ahead of Scot Gavin Hastings as the World Cup's all-time leading scorer, closed the gap to a point when he hauled himself groggily off the floor to land a 52nd-minute shot. England's tails were up, their scrum was in total ascendancy and the crowd roaring them on as they earned another penalty on the hour for Wilkinson to put them 12-10 ahead. England threw on Matt Stevens for captain Phil Vickery to keep up the scrum pressure and then gave Toby Flood his first taste of the tournament for Catt. A series of Australian changes failed to stem the flood but Wilkinson ensured the nerves remained taut when he missed a penalty from halfway with six minutes remaining. Mortlock had the chance to snatch it for Australia three minutes later from a similar distance but could not make it.

Reuters