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Cooper rescues Wallabies in the Quade escape
Greg Growden in Padova | November 9, 2008 - 3:59AM
Italy 20 Australia 30
Australia have kept their unbeaten record intact against Italy after Test debutant Quade Cooper saved the day with an exciting 71st minute try at the Stadio Euganeo this morning.
The hosts, who had lost their previous 11 matches against Australia, were within eight minutes of earning a famous result until the 20-year-old Cooper bobbed and weaved over the line, confusing the Italy defence with two great left foot steps. The Wallabies were confronting the embarrassment of being whacked by the Italians, but instead they finished with an unconvincing 30-20 win.
The Wallaby backline was off colour as soon as five-eighth Berrick Barnes left the field with a knock to his knee before 20 minutes had been played. From that point, Italy looked dangerous, holding the lead during the first-half, and then leveling the scores 20-all with 10 minutes to go.
Thankfully Cooper, who came onto the field replacing Timana Tahu, who had a hamstring injury, brought decorum back to the situation, with a sensational solo try.
Overall it was an extremely disappointing performance by the Wallabies. The forwards were solid, but the backs were all over the place, suffering a terrible error count.
There was a period during the first half where they couldn't do anything right, and during the second half looked anything but world beaters.
At least the youngsters did their bit, with loosehead prop Ben Alexander also revelling during his first starting XV Test, being involved in several excellent midfield runs.
Italy had made a nervy start to the game and after they lost early ball Australia broke on three minutes.
Fly-half Barnes beat a couple of tackles but was impeded after playing a grubber kick and Stirling Mortlock slotted over the resulting penalty from just outside the 22.
Soon after, though, Mortlock gave away a penalty for holding on the ground and fly-half Andrea Marcato levelled the scores at 3-3.
But Italy still seemed a little on edge and straight from the restart Marcato was knocked to the floor while challenging for a high ball, allowing Australia to immediately regain possession.
They spread the ball wide to the right and Tahu shrugged off two tackles before releasing right-winger Lachie Turner to dive over in the corner for an 8-3 lead.
Barnes lasted less than a quarter of an hour before a knee injury forced him off but the news was no respite for Italy as regular play-maker Matt Giteau went on to replace him.
Marcato and Giteau exchanged penalties before Italy started to settle and Andrea Masi got the home crowd going with a break from inside his own 22, beating two tackles and then chipping ahead for Kaine Robertson who just failed to chase down the ball before it went dead.
Marcato reduced the deficit on 26 minutes as he dinked over a drop goal from the 10-yard line and then Italy went in front after31 minutes.
Scrum-half Pablo Canavosio took the ball from a scrum on Australia's 22, faked right and then passed left to Marcato.
Masi made a storming run and Marcato's perfectly-timed pass took out three defenders before Masi fed Mirco Bergamasco, who went over in the left corner for a 14-11 lead.
Australia levelled up just before the break as Giteau scored a penalty after yet another Italian offside.
Although the scores were close, Australia were enjoying a lot of success running through the midfield, targeting Marcato and inside-centre Gonzalo Garcia, winning only his third cap.
The Italy number 10 left the field soon after the restart with an injury to his side and Giteau slotted over two more penalties on 48 and 50 minutes as Italy's ill-discipline in the breakdown started to cost them.
The hosts stuck to their guns though and penalties from substitute fly-half Fabio Orquera on 53 and 60 minutes levelled the scores up again at 20-20.
Soon after Italy earned a line-out five-metres from the Aussie try-line and after they probed for a push-over try the visitors gave away a penalty but Orquera missed the kick from out wide.
But just as it looked as if Italy might be able to hold on for a famous result, substitute Cooper, who had come Giteau converted and added a late penalty to give the score a flattering look for the tourists.
Wallabies coach Deans said Barnes and Tahu would have scans in London on Monday but were almost certain to be ruled out of Saturday's showdown with England at Twickenham - and possibly the rest of the five-game European tour.
"For Berrick, it looks like his injury could be significant, but the detail of which we won't know until we get an MRI scan,'' Deans said.
"But, yeah, it looks like it will be significant ... Timana has a damaged hamstring.''
"There a bit of a bitter taste because we came close,'' Italy flanker Mauro Bergamasco told La7 television. "We made mistakes. But we showed that we can go forward, that we can play good rugby.
"We scored a beautiful first-phase try. It's the sort of thing great teams often do against us and that we have proved we are capable of when we play at 120 percent.''
AUSTRALIA 30 (Quade Cooper, Lachlan Turner tries Matt Giteau con Giteau 5, Stirling Mortlock pens) bt ITALY 20 (Mirco Bergamasco try Andrea Marcato 2, Luciano Orquera 2 pens Marcato drop goal) at Stadio Euganeo. Referee: Bryce Lawrence (NZL).
http://www.rugbyheaven.com.au/news/n...e#contentSwap1
it was a great game winning try from cooper.......
How did I know this was going to be a Grumbles article... what an embarrassing title. Lame as! Wonder if he came up with it all by himself and how long he's been waiting to use that joke. oh dear.
Great try though! Moment of individual brilliance at a time when we badly needed it.
Kudos Quade... the future is looking good for you.![]()
I made Happy sad...
huge assist to mortlock, just glad quade was far enough back for it not to be called a shepherd
HE did welll and out step several players and showed good pace...Shabby game by the Wallabies. The scrum looked Ok which is good news...
it was a great try!
BOKKE“Let me put it this way, A Springbok team contains Afrikaners, Englishmen, coloureds and blacks. It has parochial foes in Bulls, Sharks, Stormers, Cheetahs and Lions. It is a recipe for war! Yet in all the years of John Smit’s captaincy, there has never been one unhappy customer, not one voice of rebellion against his leadership. He is the glue that holds the Springboks together. The man is a legend!”- Jake White
I thought the wallabies played shocking. Compared to the game last week, they looked really unstructured and just disorganised. Perhaps its because its a new and young team. And they gave away too many penalties to make the game.
I thought Ben Alexander had a good game at prop. Looked really good despite him being a rookie. And the commentators said that Matt Dunning was one of the best props in the world, which made me laugh quite a bit.
Mark Chisolm was pretty good as well, think he's calling for a spot back in the team. As is Richard Brown who is just consistently good throughout the games he's been playing. Phil Waugh needs to step aside. I think he's lost the touch he had back when he first came. We were really suffering in the breakdown without Smith and I would have thought Deans would bring Pocock on.
In the backs, i thought Gis had an ordinary game, nothing special with the way he played today. Quade showed a moment of brilliance with his try. pretty impressive.
I personally thought Tahu was horrible and the cause of many midfield problems. JOC was quiet though he did earn the wallabies a penalty with his appeal. And Digby Ioane was scrappy and had bad hands as usual, while Lachlan Turner was pretty good. Well deserved try.
Turner was quite average as well, it was his defensive lapse that let through a try, he almsot did it again in the second half.
The try was scored before it got to Turner TOCC, Tahu's was the critical missed tackle that opened them up.
"And the commentators said that Matt Dunning was one of the best props in the world, which made me laugh quite a bit."
He also said that Dunning scored a drop goal in last years Super 12...
I thought he was talking about one of the Italians until he said that bit.
"Bloody oath we did!"
Nathan Sharpe, Legend.
yeah i heard that.
they were prob one of the most unenthusiastic commentators ive heard all night.
they pronounced moore's name wrongly, called players by their wrong names. and gave matt dunning the honour of being one of the best props in the world. and kicking a drop goal last year
"Lacky" Turner...
Pretty sure it was only the one commentator though.
Just had no atmosphere, had to turn the telly right up and then get blasted in the ads. Pretty much sucked all round unfortunately.
"Bloody oath we did!"
Nathan Sharpe, Legend.
It was a combination of my all-time favourite defenders- AAC, Turner and Tahu
And the Western Force, the super12 team Richard Brown plays for? The commentators were SHOCKING! And Australia has the best defensive line in the worldAren't they lovely? Then we let the Italians through for that SOFT try. We were jinxed!
Hehe Jess, I think you hit the nail right on the head there. I can imagine him sitting at his desk, smacking his head going 'Cooper, Quade, Cooper, Quade... THINK pieman!'
I still don't believe Tahu is ready for international games. I know he has had experiance in league, but in 2 games he hasn't impressed at all. Haven't been convinced through this whole escapade. He tries to do to much and look fantastic and show everyone how wonderful he is (eg the Boks game) and he hasn't really given up yet...I personally thought Tahu was horrible and the cause of many midfield problems
A kick in this game is like a rather nasty alcoholic shooter, only as good as it's chaser...
Courtesy of quality South African commentry
Tahu did create the first try for Turner with a great break and one handed pass, but I haev to agree I just don't think he's played enough to risk in there in a mroe serious game. Especially not with Mortlock, Cross, Barnes, Giteau (and O'Connor and Cooper?) all good centre options...
agree with you, tommym. the cross/mortlock combination seemed to work quite well last week. and the gits, barnes and mortlock combination worked quite well as well.
why bring in tahu who is defensively indecisive, who doesn't give a kicking option, who doesn't give much at all, a go, when we have other class acts coming up. I even think Quade Cooper can be considered as a 12 if needed.