Adam Ashley-Cooper scored a hat trick of tries as Australia ended Argentina’s hopes of a first World Cup final appearance with a 29-15 win at Twickenham Sunday.
Advertisement
Australia and New Zealand have never played in a World Cup final, but share a rich Bledisloe Cup history.
Ashley Cooper with a further three has moved up to 37 while Mitchell remains on 34.
It was another veteran winger who deserved credit for the one that sealed it, as Mitchell burst down the left sideline before stepping inside and crabbing his way across field beating five defenders before releasing to the right, where Ashley-Cooper picked it up on the bounce and strolled over untouched. However, for all their endeavour, the fourth Rugby Championship side couldn’t cross the whitewash as Pocock, Michael Hooper and Scott Fardy led the Wallaby charge in defence.
“They’ll be feeling pretty good”, Wallabies coach Michael Cheika said.
With their World Cup dream fading, Sanchez kept his side in the hunt with a vital 35th minute penalty after Sekope Kepu was caught offside. “We will not be world champions but we want to finish third”. Pilfering the ball but also the pressure the guys are putting on.
“I thought there were a few pieces of finishing from the back line and that was pleasing”.
“But I think we are on the right path. This is what we’re looking for from Argentinian rugby”. Our legacy should be the way we played the game. It will be the first time the rivals face each other in a World Cup final. Read on to see how the game unfolded.
A dry day made conditions ideal for running rugby and it took Australia just 68 seconds to score the game’s first try when lock forward Simmons intercepted Sanchez’s inside pass.
A second Wallabies’ touchdown followed after 10 minutes.
Australia pounced on another Argentina error eight minutes later, this time scrum-half Martin Landajo knocking on after attempting a tap and go. Swift attack from the Pumas saw outside centre Marcelo Bosch almost slide through before being brought down by Bernard Foley in the Wallaby 22. “I feel very proud of what the team has achieved but Australia played very well”. Foley converted and it was 14-3.
Despite needing constant attention from Wallabies medical staff, Pocock made 13 tackles and effected four turnovers at the breakdown.
“The player stretched his arms and the impact meant he couldn’t close his arms, there wasn’t any intention there not to make the tackle”.
And even then Argentina did not stop, battering Australia’s line to the death.
“This team has always tried to attack, sometimes we’ve managed it and sometimes we haven’t”.
And things continued to worsen for the South Americans, as captain Agustin Creevy left field after just 30 minutes due to injury.
Commentator Tim Horan described the replacement as a crucial moment for Argentina.
The deafening Argentina support didn’t let up for an instant, despite the game now out of their reach and the players on the pitch didn’t let up either.
The Wallabies fully capitalised on their numerical advantage with Ashley-Cooper gliding over in the corner following great work from Giteau, Simmons and Folau.
Sanchez landed a penalty but from the restart Los Pumas adventure again cost them heavily.
The All Blacks dominated the third match in 2011 in Auckland, with a 20-6 scoreline that flattered the Australians.
Relief for Australia came seven minutes from full-time.
Mitchell’s generosity to Ashley-Cooper allowed his fellow wing to pull away from him in third place on the list of all-time Australian try-scorers headed by David Campese with 64 and Chris Latham 40.
Advertisement
There was brute strength too, with Folau piling on after stumbling back to his feet from a tackle before Ashley-Cooper zipped over for his second try to leave Argentina in deep trouble.
