Whilst England can claim only two victories on Australian soil in their entire history (albeit one was rather special!), at Twickenham their record is rather better. Matches between the two teams in TW1 tend to be close run and exciting matches. Here I recall some of the best Autumn Internationals of recent years.
1998
England 11 – Australia 12
In 1998 England were just starting to show glimpses of the team they would become in the new millennium. The previous year England had drawn with Australia at Twickenham at the beginning of Clive Woodward’s reign. This match is memorable for a few reasons. England, captained by Lawrence Dallaglio, scored the only try. Indeed they scored a try six minutes from time. Mike Catt was the goalkicker that day and his performance was of the of the “cow’s arse with a banjo” variety. He missed the conversion. Even so, England led with four minutes to go. Unfortunately, they gave away a penalty at the death and the legendary John Eales stepped up with the nerves of steel that Catt so lacked and struck it between the posts. The bastard.
2000
England 22 – Australia 19
This match kick started England’s great run of home victories against Southern Hemisphere sides that led to World Cup success in 2003. Even so, for long periods of this match things did not seem promising. Despite looking the better side, England failed to contain George Smith and failed to fully convert their possession into points. Wilkinson and Burke traded penalties throughout and it was 12-9 to England at the break. England rued their profligacy when Australia scored a try minutes after the resumption, Joe Roff powering past Austin Healey and making a deft scoring pass to Matt Burke.
England trailed as the shadows lengthened and they could only manage one more Wilkinson penalty throughout the second half. Deep into injury time, a certain Andre Watson finally penalised persistent Australian infringements and two Wallabies sat in the bin. With eight minutes of injury time played, England launched a desperate last gasp attack up the left flank. Ian Balshaw chipped into the corner. There was no full back to cover. Dan Luger somehow made contact with his left hand. Long wait, video ref….. then, Watson’s arm goes up and the whistle blows, try!!! Twickenham erupts! I watched this in the pub and my then young teenage niece told me off for swearing.
2002
England 32 – Australia 31
The previous week England had beaten New Zealand (I was there!). The week after they would thrash South Africa (I was there!). Sandwiched in the middle was this classic (I had flu and a temperature of 40 but forced myself down the pub for this).
England started well with a Cohen try and looked likely to score a try with every attack but somehow the final pass went begging. Australia was on the ropes but held on and scored a try of their own to trail by only three points at the break. Sailor crashed over for another score at the start of the second half. From the restart England attacked with venom and seemed certain to score as the Aussie defence creaked. Then somehow, the ball squirted out the side of England’s attacking ruck, Flatley gathered and ran the length of the field to score another try! A subsequent penalty gave the Aussies a 12-point lead and disaster loomed for England with half an hour to play. However this was not the England of old. They stayed calm and chipped away at the lead with Wilkinson penalties. Then came the moment of the match. From turnover ball England attacked up the middle, Simpson-Daniel straightened and checked the defence and fed the irrepressible Ben Cohen, who flew over the line from 20 metres out. He cupped his hand to his ear as he celebrated and taunted the Aussies in the crowd. England held on for a pulsating win. Somehow at that moment, you knew they would win the World Cup.
2004
England 19 – Australia 21
Post World Cup, England started snowballing into the decline that would last for the rest of the decade. It hardly seemed possible after they despatched South Africa the preceding week. Now deprived, through retirement or injury, of such legends as Hill, Back, Dallaglio, Johnson, Wilkinson, the team had a transitional look to it. Even so, they dominated possession but simply could not convert into points, mainly due to a truly woeful kicking display from Charlie Hodgson. Things got so bad that at one point Mike Tindall was taking the goal kicks.
Australia on the other hand were lethal and scored two first half tries from Jeremy Paul and Chris Latham to take a 12-0 lead. Henry Paul’s brief run in the centre ended after twenty minutes (first signs of Andy Robinson’s bonkers selection and tactics).
Despite this, England scored three second half tries, one an absolute belter from Cueto. England led with ten minutes to play but two brainless penalties allowed Matt Giteau to restore Australia’s lead. They never relinquished it. The site of Justin Harrison parading around Twickenham after the final whistle, flexing and kissing his biceps, is a memory that still sticks in the throat.
2005
England 26 – Australia 16
Not a particularly memorable match, but England’s last victory against Australia at Twickenham. Notable only for England’s scrum (and Andrew Sheridan in particular) marmalising the Aussie pack. Despite umpteen amounts of possession, England still nearly managed to stuff it up and the game was only safe when Cueto scored late on.
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November 6, 2009 at 10:06 am
[...] About It’s Autumn, It’s Australia, it Must Mean a Cracker! [...]