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Aussies cruise into semi-final after eliminating Scotland
Melbourne, Nov 09: Australia beat Scotland 33-16 in Rugby World Cup quarter-final. Australia overcame a scrappy start to crush Scotland 33-16 on Saturday and waltz into a World Cup semi-final with New Zealand.
Melbourne, Nov 09: Australia beat Scotland 33-16 in Rugby World Cup quarter-final. Australia overcame a scrappy start to crush Scotland 33-16 on Saturday and waltz into a World Cup semi-final with New Zealand.
The Scots held the defending champions in the first half to go the break level at 9-9 but Australia ran away with the match in the second term, scoring three tries to one to eventually run out comfortable winners.
The Wallabies played well below their best, dropping far too many passes and struggling to win their own lineout ball, but were superb in defence and never looked like conceding a try until the dying seconds.
They looked dangerous in attack, splitting the Scots' defence on a number of occasions, but failed to capitalise on most of their opportunities until the second half.
Outside centre Stirling Mortlock, captain George Gregan and number eight David Lyons all scored tries in a devastating 18-minute burst that put the result beyond doubt while Elton Flatley landed three conversions and four penalties.
The Scots' lone try came from replacement hooker Rob Russell in the final play of the match. Makeshift flyhalf Chris Paterson booted two penalties, a drop goal and a conversion.
The Scots, given no real hope of winning the match after scraping into the quarter-finals with a last-gasp win over Fiji, held on grimly in the first half against a wave of Australian attacks to remain on level terms.
Left wing Lote Tuqiri twice broke through the Scottish defence and fullback Mat Rogers also burst the line only to see the ball coughed up in the next phase as the Wallabies squandered their chances.
The Scots succeeded in disrupting the Australian lineout, stealing two balls off the throw and forcing the Wallabies into errors.
Flatley put the Australians ahead three separate times in the first half with penalties but on each occassion the Scots equalised through Paterson, who was left dazed after being hit in the head by the ball during the warm-up.
He showed no ill-effects of the knock as he calmly slotted over two penalties then a 48-metre drop goal just before the break to level the scores at 9-9 after a dour half.
Australia replaced George Smith with Matt Cockbain during the interval to give them an extra lineout jumper and the change had an immediate effect as the Wallabies quicky seized control of the match.
Mortlock, who was called into the side at the expense of Matthew Burke to provide extra thrust out wide, justified his selection when he beat two defenders in a 60-metre sprint to the line to score the opening try.
Flatley converted from in front before adding a penalty in the 52nd minute to put his side 10 points. Then scrumhalf Gregan dived on a loose ball in goal to score in the 59th minute after the impressive openside flanker Phil Waugh and Tuqiri had each broken through.
Lyons, who had also had a strong match, barged his way over in the 59th minute after picking up from the back of the scrum to give Australia a 33-9 lead.
With the result beyond doubt, Australia coach Eddie Jones introduced all seven substitutes to the fray.
The Wallabies failed to add to their total but held their line intact until Russell forced his way over in the last minute.
Teams: Australia - 15-Mat Rogers (22-Joe Roff 59); 14-Wendell Sailor, 13-Stirling Mortlock, 12-Elton Flatley, 11-Lote Tuqiri; 10-Stephen Larkham (21-Matt Giteau 53 18-Daniel Vickerman 73), 9-George Gregan (captain) (20-Chris Whitaker 65); 8-David Lyons, 7-Phil Waugh, 6-George Smith (19-Matt Cockbain 40), 5-Nathan Sharpe, 4-Justin Harrison, 3-Ben Darwin (17-Al Baxter 63), 2-Brendan Cannon (16-Jeremy Paul 61), 1-Bill Young. Scotland - 15-Glenn Metcalfe (22-Ben Hinshelwood 47); 14-Simon Danielli, 13-Gregor Townsend, 12-Andrew Henderson, 11-Kenny Logan; 10-Chris Paterson, 9-Bryan Redpath (captain); 8-Simon Taylor, 7-Cameron Mather, 6-Jason White (19-Jon Petrie 64), 5-Stuart Grimes (18-Scott Murray 61), 4-Nathan Hines, 3-Bruce Douglas (17-Gordon McIlwham 68), 2-Gordon Bulloch (16-Rob Russell 72), 1-Tom Smith. Referee: Steve Walsh (New Zealand).
Scorers: Australia - Tries: Stirling Mortlock, George Gregan, David Lyons; Conversions: Elton Flatley (3); Penalties: Flatley (4) Scotland - Try: Rob Russell; Conversion: Chris Paterson; Penalties: Paterson (2); Drop goal: Paterson
Bureau Report
The Scots' lone try came from replacement hooker Rob Russell in the final play of the match. Makeshift flyhalf Chris Paterson booted two penalties, a drop goal and a conversion.
The Scots, given no real hope of winning the match after scraping into the quarter-finals with a last-gasp win over Fiji, held on grimly in the first half against a wave of Australian attacks to remain on level terms.
Left wing Lote Tuqiri twice broke through the Scottish defence and fullback Mat Rogers also burst the line only to see the ball coughed up in the next phase as the Wallabies squandered their chances.
The Scots succeeded in disrupting the Australian lineout, stealing two balls off the throw and forcing the Wallabies into errors.
Flatley put the Australians ahead three separate times in the first half with penalties but on each occassion the Scots equalised through Paterson, who was left dazed after being hit in the head by the ball during the warm-up.
He showed no ill-effects of the knock as he calmly slotted over two penalties then a 48-metre drop goal just before the break to level the scores at 9-9 after a dour half.
Australia replaced George Smith with Matt Cockbain during the interval to give them an extra lineout jumper and the change had an immediate effect as the Wallabies quicky seized control of the match.
Mortlock, who was called into the side at the expense of Matthew Burke to provide extra thrust out wide, justified his selection when he beat two defenders in a 60-metre sprint to the line to score the opening try.
Flatley converted from in front before adding a penalty in the 52nd minute to put his side 10 points. Then scrumhalf Gregan dived on a loose ball in goal to score in the 59th minute after the impressive openside flanker Phil Waugh and Tuqiri had each broken through.
Lyons, who had also had a strong match, barged his way over in the 59th minute after picking up from the back of the scrum to give Australia a 33-9 lead.
With the result beyond doubt, Australia coach Eddie Jones introduced all seven substitutes to the fray.
The Wallabies failed to add to their total but held their line intact until Russell forced his way over in the last minute.
Teams: Australia - 15-Mat Rogers (22-Joe Roff 59); 14-Wendell Sailor, 13-Stirling Mortlock, 12-Elton Flatley, 11-Lote Tuqiri; 10-Stephen Larkham (21-Matt Giteau 53 18-Daniel Vickerman 73), 9-George Gregan (captain) (20-Chris Whitaker 65); 8-David Lyons, 7-Phil Waugh, 6-George Smith (19-Matt Cockbain 40), 5-Nathan Sharpe, 4-Justin Harrison, 3-Ben Darwin (17-Al Baxter 63), 2-Brendan Cannon (16-Jeremy Paul 61), 1-Bill Young. Scotland - 15-Glenn Metcalfe (22-Ben Hinshelwood 47); 14-Simon Danielli, 13-Gregor Townsend, 12-Andrew Henderson, 11-Kenny Logan; 10-Chris Paterson, 9-Bryan Redpath (captain); 8-Simon Taylor, 7-Cameron Mather, 6-Jason White (19-Jon Petrie 64), 5-Stuart Grimes (18-Scott Murray 61), 4-Nathan Hines, 3-Bruce Douglas (17-Gordon McIlwham 68), 2-Gordon Bulloch (16-Rob Russell 72), 1-Tom Smith. Referee: Steve Walsh (New Zealand).
Scorers: Australia - Tries: Stirling Mortlock, George Gregan, David Lyons; Conversions: Elton Flatley (3); Penalties: Flatley (4) Scotland - Try: Rob Russell; Conversion: Chris Paterson; Penalties: Paterson (2); Drop goal: Paterson
Bureau Report