Australia v Canada - Australia wins but unimpressive

[Burgs]

Wallabies turn thoughts to England

BORDEAUX, 29 September -

The dust had barely settled on Australia's 37-6 victory over Canada on Saturday before the Wallabies had begun looking ahead to next weekend's quarter-final with England.

Australia coach John Connolly was hardly given time to address the pros and cons of his team's final Pool B victory at the post-match press conference before the questions turned to England and the IRB Rugby World Cup 2003 grand final rematch.

''I said before the tournament that England would be a threat to anyone and that hasn't changed,'' said Connolly, who fielded a largely second-string side against Canada.

''With their strength at the scrum and line-out and their pace outside, England will cause any side problems.''

However, Australia's six-tries-to-none victory may have come at a price as experienced number 8 David Lyons was forced to leave the field early in the second half with an ankle injury.

''David's ankle is pretty sore at the moment, but we don't yet know the full extent of the injury,'' Connolly said.

Record-breaker

Wing Drew Mitchell claimed two of Australia's six tries to become the tournament's leading try-scorer with seven and, in the process, provide Connolly with something of a selection headache for the game against England.

Connolly had been expected to start with Adam Ashley-Cooper in that match but he may be forced to think again.

In claiming his seventh touchdown - both his tries came in the space of two minutes midway through the second half - Mitchell set a new record for Australia, overhauling David Campese's record of six tries, which he set in RWC 1991.

''Drew took his two tries superbly and played very well,'' Connolly said.

Canuck pride

Canada competed bravely, as they always do, but for the first time in their proud history leave a world cup without a win to their name.

''I think the future for Canadian rugby looks bright and if you look at our improvement over the last 15 or 16 months I'm very pleased. Our mission now is to get rugby really firing in North America,'' said Canada coach Ric Suggitt.

It was also the last international for Canadian stalwarts Morgan Williams, the captain and scrum half, second row Mike James and prop Rod Snow.

''We're hoping to get these three players involved with Canadian rugby in some administrative capacity,'' added Suggitt.

[frontrow]

I actually cheered the Canadian prop when he won the penalty against Baxter, wiley old prop earned much kudos in my eye, making Trestle look his usual inept self...

[Jehna]

Wing Drew Mitchell claimed two of Australia's six tries to become the tournament's leading try-scorer with seven and, in the process, provide Connolly with something of a selection headache for the game against England.

Connolly had been expected to start with Adam Ashley-Cooper in that match but he may be forced to think again.

In claiming his seventh touchdown - both his tries came in the space of two minutes midway through the second half - Mitchell set a new record for Australia, overhauling David Campese's record of six tries, which he set in RWC 1991.

''Drew took his two tries superbly and played very well,'' Connolly said.

God...try not to choke as you say it knuckles...drew was superb. If he doesn't start against england i'm flying to france to drop kick connolly through the posts myself....

And look Lote...it doesn't actually seem to matter which wing you play on...if you can play you will score tries

[Jehna]

Australia wins but unimpressive
From Jim Morton in Bordeaux, France
September 30, 2007

AUSTRALIA scored a 37-6 victory in the Pool B match against Canada in Bordeaux, with Drew Mitchell the star of a stinking match with two tries.

Australia's scrappy and unstructured performance had a sour footnote with No.8 David Lyons and second row Nathan Sharpe joining the side's growing casualty ward.

Lyons trudged off early in the second half and was taken to the changing rooms in a wheelchair having sustained an injury to his left ankle, while Sharpe hyper extended an elbow. (CR*P!)

Sharpe sustained the inuury in the first half but played until the 72nd minute as Australia scored six tries in drizzling rain at Stade Chaban-Delmas.

Wallabies coach John Connolly thought that Sharpe would be fit to play against England in the quarter-finals next weekend.

Lyons was unlikely to play a role in Marseille, but he had been in bulldozing form before falling awkwardly at the end of a half-break.

The victory gave the Wallabies a clean sweep of their pool B matches, but the match was a stinker punctuated by the pedantic refereeing of English referee Chris White.

The slippery conditions didn't help but Australia's handling was nevertheless below the standards to which it aspires. "We're happy to be here and get away with a win," Australia coach John Connolly said. "It wasn't the greatest game to watch. The conditions played into it a little bit, but we probably played into the wrong parts of the field a lot of the time.

"The Canadian defence was tight and good. "But we were playing a (five-eighth) who's played mostly at (full back) and two wingers in midfield. The lack of teamwork was quite evident at times." (You're not wrong their knuckles...so many times players seemed to get the ball and go 'what the? why do i have the ball'...)

Wallabies captain George Smith said his team's defence had been pleasing.
"In terms of the positives out of the game, the defence was fantastic," Smith said. "We didn't allow the Canadians to get too much advantage line and possession."That's definitely a positive and come the quarter-final stage we'll definitely be on song."

The Wallabies killed off the abrasive Canadians only midway through the second half, when Mitchell scored two tries in three minutes to take his tournament tally to seven. Mitchell latched on to a Julian Huxley banana kick, juggling ahead before beating two defenders in the 62nd minute to put Australia ahead 25-6.

He then finished a scintillating try sparked by a rampaging Lote Tuqiri (I will give him some credit for this but it was a beautiful pass from Latho) and aided by beautiful hands by full back Chris Latham.

"Credit to our guys," Canada coach Ric Suggitt said. "They got stuck in and didn't leave anything easy for Australia. "Speaking to a couple of the Australian players after the game, they said we really competed well at the break down and put them under pressure, which they needed for their preparation for the next stage of the World Cup."

While Mitchell continued his try-scoring touch, Tuqiri again failed to open his tournament account. The millionaire wing, playing in the centres, got into the clear three times in the match but he took the right option only once - for Mitchell's second five-pointer. (I love Jim Morton right now...damn straight Lote!)

Indeed Tuqiri was booed by the capacity crowd only 10 minutes before setting up Mitchell's try - for going himself when the wing was unmarked on his right. (bahaha i didn't notice that! Maybe it was because i was booing so much...)

When Tuqiri put Latham over soon after in a well-worked backline move, the full back commiserated with the star back by saying: "Oh mate, you can't buy one." (Hahahaha )

Tuqiri wasn't the only Australian guilty of being selfish, with Stephen Hoiles, playing as a replacement for Lyons, ignoring three men in support before belatedly handing off to Cameron Shepherd, who failed to grasp the back rower's poor pass to bomb a certain try. (I felt so bad for Sheps here)

The scoreline won't bother the Australia coaching staff, who were more concerned about avoiding injuries. Indeed, coach John Connolly will have be pleased by the rugged driving play of his forwards in a warm-up for the quarter-final against England.

Australia took 24 minutes to cross the Canucks' line, with tight-head prop prop Al Baxter scoring his first try in his 50th Test. First-time captain George Smith put Baxter, seagulling on the wing, over with a deft pass.
Baxter until then had endured a frustrating half, as he had been penalised once, and then pulled aside with rival prop Rod Snow by White, who berated them for their scrum engagements.

Hooker Adam Freier crossed for the second try in the 34th minute, when he finished a clinical 10-metre driving maul. The Wallabies almost had another try on half-time when Tuqiri ran into open space, but Shepherd fumbled his long spiral pass. (and again for Sheps...the poor guy had a terrible game...though thank god he started kicking...i wanted to take over from Huxley...)

Flanker Hugh McMeniman was particularly menacing and was held up twice over the line. (I thought he had a brilliant game)

Canada, whose coaching team includes former Wallabies back Glen Ella, scored two second-half penalty goals through James Pritchard.

The Canucks competed well but were dominated in the lineouts, where they struggled to win their own ball and conceded an easy try to Smith just after the break for a 18-3 lead.

AAP

[jono]

sheps didnt really have a good game.
sometimes it looks as if when he plays if his first few touches dont go right he begins to second guess himself and think too much.

he was unlucky not to get a try last night.
if he was handed a better pass he would have gotten it.
next week aye...

[Flamethrower]

[GIGS20]

Sheps is 50/50 with Lote, one pass, he dropped coz it was crap, he was only there to say "Yay Lote I'm soo glad you finally scored that try, nowmaybe someone else on the field can get t touch" then he got a ball thrown at his shins. the second one......he should have caught.


I think Shep needs a game or two to get comfortable in the team. that's really unfortunate because he just isn't going to get that here. It's a shame because he and Drew are the only wingers over there who I think are elusive enough to get around the MiB.

Go home Lote, nobody likes you can't you take the hint by not getting passes

[lmaag]

Sheps is 50/50 with Lote, one pass, he dropped coz it was crap,

Think I saw a different game, thought the pass went to Shep's chest, he should have grabbed it. I rate Shep but thought he had a very ordinary game, That is probably because its his first game in this tournament.
I made it a prerogative to watch Lote's performance as he doesn't seem to have a high fan base here. He wasn't impressive and I do not think he is an outside centre at all. He did draw and pass well particularly in the latter part of the game. Lote has been doing a lot of off the ball work, clearing the ruck and securing the pill.

I thought both locks did well. McMeniman also worked hard.