Andrew Mehrtens is good, but not in the class of Wikinson or even the likes of Flatley in goal kicking. The All Blacks had good kickers, they just couldn't get through the Australian defence. Anyway, the third place game was played today. New Zealand played their full team, while France played a second string team, but bolstered it with better players after half time. Final score New Zealand 40 - France 13. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/rugby_world_cup/3285433.stm
Just over 6 hrs away from kickoff for the world's biggest rugby game in the last four years. England v Australia Can't help thinking that this game is going to go down to the wire. All of Australia is pumped for the occasion and the travelling english supporters are going to be in full voice, about 30,000-40,000 are expected to be at the game. Should be an awesome game. I'm feeling very excited and nervous at the same time. Hope the Aussies make it back to back.
Australia started the strongest, scoring a try in the first few minutes but since then it has been all England. Halftime: Oz 5-14 England
After 70 minutes... AUSTRALIA 11-14 ENGLAND Tries: Tuqiri -Robinson Conv: Pens: Flatley (2) -Wilkinson (3) D/G's: H/T: 5-14 Time in Opponent's Half: 45%-55%
Scores are level! Flatley kicks a penalty goal for the Wallabies in the last minute! 14 for Australia, 14 for England...
After 80 minutes... AUSTRALIA 14-14 ENGLAND Tries: Tuqiri -Robinson Conv: Pens: Flatley (3) -Wilkinson (3) D/G's: H/T: 5-14 England really should have this game won by now, but Elton Flatley scored a penalty with the last kick of Normal Time!
I cannot believe how much England dominated the game but couldn't finish Australia off. It was like there was a mental block every time they got a chance to score. Unbelievable nerves. I think everybody knew that it would be Wilko with a drop goal to win it
Re: WORLD CHAMPIONS 20-17, England, the final-- on virtually the last kick or touch of the game. I don't think one could have asked for a more thrilling end to this tournament that this game tonight, or the way both teams battled in extra time. England just wanted it more; not at all a case of Australia "choking" (contrary to what my wife has been ranting on about for the last ten minutes or so).
Fantastic game, congratulations to both teams for putting on such a great game in the final. The Wallabies showed a lot of guts and determination to come back in the 2nd half, then come back again in extra time, but were denied by the best kicker in World Rugby, Jonny Wilkinson with a drop goal in the final minute. The Wallabies did Australia proud tonight, and even though I'm disappointed at the moment, there has to be a winner and a loser and unfortunately for us, tonight was England's moment.
Congratulations to the boys! What an emotional rollercoaster of a game. Towards the end I had butterflys and was so nervous, but then Wilkinson with a drop goal in the last few seconds it turned into jubilation! Great game.
you;ve either got class or you havent I suppose. and the aussies havent got any.. No Im not talking about rugby skill,im talking about their little media campaign. no class whatsoever.
The last three minutes of the extra time were great. I thought the Wallabies were going to delay my dinner another 30 minutes with that penalty goal and send the match into another Extra Time, but what a clutch kick by Wilkinson. I am not much of a rugby fan, but this final should be pointed to by every rugby devotee to illustrate how exciting a match can be. I really enjoyed it.
You're not kidding. It was tiring just watching and the last 10 mins were unbearable. I think it was the only part of today's match that followed the script. Man, great tournament with a great final. And a couple of tries just to keep the Aussies happy.
I set my VCR for the 1am telecast. I promised a friend of mine who's from Fiji that we'd watch it together Saturday morning. Damn, I'm glad I waited. Ours stomachs were in knots from the second half on.
Fantastic game! As an aussie I'm disappointed we lost, but the game itself was absolutely thrilling and you couldn't have hoped for a better final. Congrats to England for winning their first and the northern hemispheres first rugby world cup.
i saw the match in french on FRANCE2 and it seems like an idiotic game and i don't understand it one bit i mean a team gets the ball and then kick it away just for that the other team would do the same thing and all that's silly "scrum" stuff not to mention i couldn't figure it out when a penalty kick is given and when it doesn't(american football is much better no comparison)but i'm glad England has won but what i've wanted to ask if after the 20 min the score would remain tied the two exosted teams would have begun a second ET period?
Rugby League doesn't have the stuff you don't like. No silly scrum stuff and no getting the ball kicked to you and then kicking it right back. Also less penalty kick goals and drop goals in league because they aren't worth many points. The empathis of League seems to be to try to score tries where as the empathis of Union seems to be to try to score points.
Great game, fair result. The best team over the last 12 months won, and the Aussies went a lot further than I thought they would (I didn't think they would make the semis) And speaking of Rugby League, good to see the Aussies won that at least, 18-12 over Great Britain to take the series 3-0.
Rugby League is rubbish, there is plenty of kicking because you only get so many attempts to run the ball before you have to transfer posession. Play stops at the first successful tackle and there is still scrumming although it's a token effort. There's a reason why more people like Union and now the best league players are always changing code.