- News>
- Others
Australian fans as jubilant as England fans over World Cup loss
Sydney, Nov 23: Fans in Australia and England react to English win in rugby world cup.
Sydney, Nov 23: Fans in Australia and England react to English win in rugby world cup.
England rugby fans from Sydney to London were ecstatic on Saturday (November 22) when their team won an epic struggle to take the World Cup from Australia by 20 points to 17. Being the sport it is, Australian supporters were quick to congratulate the opposition. In bars and streets around Sydney's Circular Quay, where English settlers first arrived in 1788, thousands more partied, some in disbelief that England had actually won the World Cup. But while they celebrated, the English acknowledged that one of the greatest games of rugby ever witnessed would not have occurred without the intense rivalry that exists with Australia. In a titanic struggle that went into extra time, the outcome was only decided within seconds of the final whistle by the golden boot of England flyhalf Jonny Wilkinson.
It was a tale of historic rivalry, with an English team winning a World Cup in a major team sport for the first time since soccer's showpiece event in 1966.
A pub in a traditionally Antipodean part of London was packed with as many England fans as Australian.
Afterwards one Australia fan said: "What a game, what a game. How can it get any better than that? That was a game of rugby. Best game ever. Hey, you've got to give it away every now and again, but the thing is it was a good game, that's all that matters. Win, lose or draw -- we drink. Enjoy yourselves, that's all it is. It's rugby."
Bureau Report
England rugby fans from Sydney to London were ecstatic on Saturday (November 22) when their team won an epic struggle to take the World Cup from Australia by 20 points to 17. Being the sport it is, Australian supporters were quick to congratulate the opposition. In bars and streets around Sydney's Circular Quay, where English settlers first arrived in 1788, thousands more partied, some in disbelief that England had actually won the World Cup. But while they celebrated, the English acknowledged that one of the greatest games of rugby ever witnessed would not have occurred without the intense rivalry that exists with Australia. In a titanic struggle that went into extra time, the outcome was only decided within seconds of the final whistle by the golden boot of England flyhalf Jonny Wilkinson.
It was a tale of historic rivalry, with an English team winning a World Cup in a major team sport for the first time since soccer's showpiece event in 1966.
A pub in a traditionally Antipodean part of London was packed with as many England fans as Australian.
Afterwards one Australia fan said: "What a game, what a game. How can it get any better than that? That was a game of rugby. Best game ever. Hey, you've got to give it away every now and again, but the thing is it was a good game, that's all that matters. Win, lose or draw -- we drink. Enjoy yourselves, that's all it is. It's rugby."
Bureau Report