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| Sunday, 23 November 2003 |
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Wilkinson the hero as England down Wallabies in World Cup thriller by ROB WOOLLARD, Sydney, November 22 (AFP) -
England became the first northern hemisphere side to win the rugby World Cup after a last-gasp Jonny Wilkinson drop-goal in extra-time sunk Australia 20-17 in a thrilling final here Saturday. Wilkinson struck a fantastic right footed drop goal in the final minute of extra-time to settle a titanic clash between the two bitter sporting rivals and leave the Wallabies heartbroken after a supreme effort. Wilkinson finished with 15 points from the boot but England almost came a cropper after a magnificent display from Australia, the defending champions, roared on by a record 82,957 crowd at the Olympic Stadium. Elton Flatley had forced the match into extra-time with a dramatic last-second penalty after England had dominated the second half but failed to land the knockout blow. Wilkinson restored England's lead with a penalty in the opening 10-minute period of extra-time but Flatley again levelled for Australia after England skipper Martin Johnson infringed. The leveller could have sapped the will from England, but they swept back up field from the restart and recycled to engineer Wilkinson into position. The 24-year-old player of the year, who had failed with several attempted drop-kicks earlier in the match, made no mistake with a right-footed shot that sent a large contingent of England fans delirious. "It was a huge effort from the entire squad of players," said Johnson. "We had a lead and we lost it and to come back in extra time and to hold out and Wilko at the end, brilliant. I can't say enough about it. With 20 minutes of extra-time it can go anyway but Wilko was there and right at the death you would have no-one else, would you? Australian captain George Gregan said he was proud the way his side had fought back from 14-5 down at half-time. "It was a massive final. It went into extra-time, you had two world-class teams going at it hammer and tongs," he said. "Congratulations must be extended to the English team, they delivered under pressure and they delivered when it counted." England only had themselves to blame for seeing the game go down to the wire, with a string of handling errors in slippery conditions proving crucial as the tension mounted. England had been in control 14-5 at half-time courtesy of a Jason Robinson try and three Wilkinson penalties.
Australia had got off to a dream start after only six minutes, a bold decision to kick for touch instead of taking a penalty rewarded by a try for wing Lote Tuqiri. A beautifully weighted hanging cross kick from flyhalf Stephen Larkham caused panic in the England defence and Tuqiri raced up the touchline to outjump Robinson superbly and dot down. England regathered quickly and got their first points on the board shortly afterwards however, when Flatley conceded a penalty for coming off his feet at a ruck. Wilkinson slotted the 45-metre kick with typical precision. Slowly England managed to generate some fluency, with Matt Dawson sniping around the fringes of the breakdown and linking well with his back-row. Wilkinson punished a late tackle by Larkham on wing Ben Cohen with his second penalty to put England 6-5 up, but missed an opportunity to extend the lead when a drop-goal effort drifted wide. England should have crossed for their first score early in the second quarter but lock Ben Kay fumbled and a certain try went begging. A lengthy injury time-out for Wilkinson caused nervous flutters in English hearts but the No.10 got to his feet and rejoined the action to the relief of his team-mates. And moments later Wilkinson was kicking England into a 9-5 lead, potting his third penalty of the night after Australia flanker Phil Waugh was penalised for not staying bound in a scrum, deep in the Wallabies 22. A missed penalty from Flatley was the closest Australia came to scoring for the rest of the half as the English forwards, with Richard Hill and Lawrence Dallaglio increasingly influential, tightened their grip. Australia could find no way through an iron English defence, with centres Mike Tindall and Will Greenwood putting in some ferocious hits. Shortly before half-time England scored. A sweeping move upfield ended with Dallaglio bursting clear in space on the left before feeding to Wilkinson. Wilkinson jinked brilliantly and found Robinson steaming up on the outside for a wonderful score in the corner. Wilkinson missed the conversion but with a 14-5 half-time lead, England went in at the break firmly in control. Yet their composure deserted them in a frenetic second half, as a series of handling errors frustrated their attempts to drive home their advantage. Despite Australia's line-out breaking down - with three successive throws pilfered by England - the Wallabies were somehow able to stay in touch. Australia cut the gap to six points with Flatley's first penalty. Try as England might though they could not make their forward superiority pay and Australia moved to 14-11 when Flatley notched his penalty after Vickery foolishly handled in the ruck. Handling errors infected England's play. Tindall, Greenwood and Cohen were all guilty of fumbles in the face of frenzied defence by Australia with George Smith spoiling brilliantly. And Flatley's late penalty set-up the extra-time thriller. |
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