England 14 Australia 20: Barnes and Beale fire Wallabies as Red Rose rue missed chances

By Ian Stafford

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For Stuart Lancaster, it was the worst result of his England career. For England's fans, it was the day the famous white shirt and red rose were replaced by a sickly shade of purple.

Lancaster will wake up this morning and appreciate just how unforgiving Test rugby can be.

Until Saturday afternoon, England's head coach was turning the national team's fortunes around on and off the field.

Unbridled glee: Australia celebrate their third win in four Cook cup matches

Unbridled glee: Australia celebrate their third win in four Cook cup matches

Match facts

ENGLAND: Goode; Ashton, Tuilagi, Barritt, Sharples; Flood, Care; Marler, Youngs, Cole, Parling, Palmer, Johnson, Robshaw, Waldrom. Replacements: Paice, Wilson, Vunipola, Launchbury, Wood, Youngs, Farrell, Brown.

Tries: Tuilagi 39

Penalties: Flood 3, 24, 34

AUSTRALIA: Barnes; Ioane, Ashley-Cooper, Tapuai, Cummins; Beale, Phipps; Robinson, Polota Nau, Alexander, Timani, Sharpe, Dennis, Hooper, Palu. Replacements: Moore, Slipper, Kepu, Samo, Gill, Sheehan, Harris, Mitchell.

Tries: Cummins 35

Penalties: Barnes 31, 44, 50, 52

Drop Goals: Barnes 13

Referee: R Poite (France).

But with three years to prepare for a home World Cup, it was time for all talk of development and progress to end and wins against the big boys to begin.

With Australia having been humiliated last week in Paris and missing so many key players, it would have taken a brave man to bet against England before the start of play.

But it did not pan out that way. Far from it.

Forget the fact that the Wallabies won by a single score.

Forget the sight of England bearing down on the Australian line for the last 15 minutes.

The much-maligned visitors deserved this win because they controlled most of the possession and territory and showed superior skills.

Most surprising of all, an Australian pack who were supposed to be pulverised into submission by their stronger, more physical English counterparts, stood up to their task with remarkable courage.

Going over: Manu Tuilagi scores England's first try to give the home side a 14-11 half-time lead

By a whisker: Manu Tuilagi scores England's first try to give the home side a 14-11 half-time lead

Going over: Manu Tuilagi scores England's first try to give the home side a 14-11 half-time lead

They gained parity up front and an advantage in the set-piece. Kurtley Beale's cute kicks over the rushing English defence with his right boot continually earned Australia ground.

It was a ploy England had no answer to.

With the Australian back row - epitomised by man of the match Michael Hooper - winning the breakdown through fair means and foul, the visitors outwitted their younger opponents.

England were not so smart. A quick tap by Danny Care in the first half, when a simple three points were on offer, paid off with a contentious Manu Tuilagi try.

But a Ben Youngs tap in the second half led to nothing when the penalty was in front of the posts.

There were 11 minutes remaining and England were six points down.

This followed a decision to kick for the corner rather than opt for an albeit harder attempt at goal by Toby Flood.

No mistake: Nick Cummins evades the attentions of Toby Flood to score Australia's opening try

No mistake: Nick Cummins evades the attentions of Toby Flood to score Australia's opening try

No mistake: Nick Cummins evades the attentions of Toby Flood to score Australia's opening try

Up in the television gantry, the watching Sir Clive Woodward could not contain his anguish, pointing out that with so little time to go in the game that England had to take the points at every opportunity. It is hard to disagree with the man who managed England to World Cup glory nine years ago.

The home team started slowly last week against Fiji.

On Saturday it was more of the same as Flood, with two penalties, and Berrick Barnes, with a drop-goal and a penalty, made it 6-6 after half-an-hour.

A third Flood penalty three minutes later nudged England into the lead for a third time, but the Wallaby backs had threatened all half and finally broke through five minutes before the break.

Brace yourself: Chris Robshaw prepares to be hit by Wycliff Palu and Nicholas Phipps

Brace yourself: Chris Robshaw prepares to be hit by Wycliff Palu and Nicholas Phipps

A Care box kick seemed safe enough, but Barnes caught the ball on the halfway line and started a counter-attack that saw Beale feed Nick Phipps.

He darted through a hole and sent winger Nick Cummins away to the corner.

Replays showed that the final pass was forward but it was the least Australia deserved.

By rights, they should have led at halftime but England scored seconds from the break when Care's quick tap led to Brad Barritt sending an overhead pass into Tuilagi's bear-like paws.

The Samoan-born centre had much to do but managed to crash through Phipps and Beale to score, having landed short and then stretched his hand over the line.

It took an interminable time before Scottish TV match official Jim Yuille gave England the benefit of the doubt. It was, to say the least, questionable.

Quick ball: Nick Phipps releases early for Australia

Quick ball: Nick Phipps releases early for Australia

Despite everything, Flood's conversion handed England a 14-11 lead and the win was still on.

Unfortunately, they were the last points England scored all afternoon. Barnes added penalties in the 44th, 51st and 54th minutes and nearly managed a fourth when the ball dipped under the bar from long range.

It was a close enough call for the TMO to take a look. Yuille was in high demand - also examining Thomas Waldrom's claims for a try on the hour when the No 8 seemed to burrow over from a lineout.

Reliable: The right boot of Toby Flood accounted for nine points

Reliable: The right boot of Toby Flood accounted for nine points

On closer examination, the Kiwi-born England forward lost possession as he attempted to touch down.

Fine margins perhaps, but the best teams take these chances and England are developing an alarming propensity to blow them.

South Africa next week will surely be even less forgiving - let alone the haunting spectre presented by the All Blacks in a fortnight.

 


 

The comments below have not been moderated.

I'm a welshman and watched the Eng game on Saturday and thought Eng could've won to be perfectly honest. There wasn't that much between the 2 sides, though the decision not to go for goal was a bad one and that was the only difference. In international matches you must go for the uprights when opportunities present themselves keeping the SB ticking over, especially in tight matches. But after the match its no good saying should've could've, would've post match. The game is 80 minutes long and you have to make the right decisions at the right times during this time.

Click to rate     Rating   5

I think the fact that at the end of the day this article only had 10 comments shows just how bothered the English are by this defeat lol. The Reading - Everton game got more comments. - Aladdin, Reading, United Kingdom, 17/11/2012 23:35 If you just look at nature, you will see that there will always be more rats than cats... football the same way compared to rugby.

Click to rate     Rating   5

I fear for England in the 6 Nations. This is the worst England team in years.

Click to rate     Rating   15

@null... if you want ridicule look in the mirror and then Google the word 'anthem'. Perhaps English isn't your first language though, eh?

Click to rate     Rating   5

The reason that England didn't kick their penalties when they were only 6 points behind is that they are deeply stupid - the whole team between them don't add up to one footballing brain. Seen it many times down the years with England, don't even get upset any more. They should give up on the rolling maul, the team's only Plan B - useless at it.

Click to rate     Rating   3

Lets all hope that the lessons will be learned.

Click to rate     Rating   4

Funny how England lost because of their kit colour. What next? They actually lost because they have to sing their real National Antham instead off God Save The Queen, which is the UK Antham. So for those who rideculed the Welsh display, perhaps look closer to home and critique accordingly. Wales have been diabolical this series but the fans don't create excuses.

Click to rate     Rating   12

Why were we playing in that awlful colour? There must be money in it somewhere for someone.

Click to rate     Rating   20

@cleanerseas a Welshman gloats a little after the extreme gloating that went on Friday and you describe Argentina and Samoa as also rans? France didn't think Argentina were a pushover and I doubt very much they will find Samoa to be either. So, best to say nothing and avoid looking a fool.

Click to rate     Rating   7

Got to blame the captain for the loss wrong decisions at crucial times, against teams like this you dont get many opotunities to score points the Australians took all of their shots at goal.

Click to rate     Rating   13

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