ENGLAND TOP GROUP, SCOTLAND HEAD HOME EARLY

 

(Image taken from Rugby World Cup.com)

The last time England faced Scotland was in this year's Six Nations. The men in white won that battle 22-16 at Twickenham. The match was level at half time with both sides grabbing late tries though England got slightly lucky with the ref. The last time the two "auld enemies" faced each other in the RWC was a '91 semi final at Murrayfield. I watched the game as a new rugby fan in Aberdeenshire that was very much rooting for the Scots - ultimately my Dad was slightly happier though, England's Rob Andrew beat Scotland's Gavin Hastings in what turned out to be a kicking duel and England won 9-6. In that that's the only time the two sides have met in rugby's biggest competition.

This time around, well England couldn't have had a much better group campaign. Three wins out of three including two WBPs. Scotland's run however had been a bit iffier, yes they'd won their first two games but not exactly looking awesome in the process and had then found themselves busted by the Argies. So the bottom lines for the Rugby World Cup Group B match at Eden Park between the two sides was this. England win, they take top spot in the group and garuntee a place in the quarters. Scotland win by eight or more, they go top. Either way, the losers were at the mercy of the Argies. Not like these two sides needed much of an excuse for a rumble though.

The early stages of the match were not a great time to be an England fan. The men in white were full of blunders and Scotland took advantage by opening the scoring with a Chris Patterson pen. Things did not improve after that and the game devolved into a very rough and ready affair with Dan Parks kicking another pen for the Scots. England's star kicker couldn't seem to do anything with the ball and this was starting to look like an extra-ordinary mugging. Eventually Johnny got the ball between the posts, allowing England to get off the ground but just before half time, Parks got a drop goal. Scotland led 9-3 at half time, not enough to take the lead of the group but enough to give them a degree of safety.

Nothing much looked to be changing in the early stages of the second half and England still looked useless and the rough and ready rugby was requiring some desperate flattery from the commentators. The longer the match went on, the longer it seemed as though neither side were campable of scoring tries and when Paterson kicked over another pen, England seemed to be in serious trouble...before Johnny kicked over a drop goal to get his side out of that trouble. Then came another pen from Johnny. Then finally out of nothing...came something. Sub Flood threw the ball to Ashton and he of the big dives bombed it into the corner for another try, Flood converting. England won 16-12 and while both sides were still technically on course for the knockout stages, Scotland now needed the Argies to come up empty in their final game.

Elsewhere, Argentina faced Georgia at the Arena Manawatu. The early stages of the match actually looked promising for nervous Scotland fans the Argies were shut down offensivly...but that was untill Juan Jose Imhoff opened the scoring for the Pumas only for Lascha Khmaladze to reply for the Georgians before half time and Malkhaz Urjukyashvilli to convert and complete the turnaround. That was even better for Scotland fans but it just made the Argies mad. Two pens were kicks by Felipe Contepomi to turn the game back around and then came tries from Contepomi and Augustin Gosio(both converted by Contepomi). Argentina won 25-7. That left England top of Group B, four points ahead of nearest challengers Argentina and seven ahead of the Scots and an early trip home. The Scots of course, took that early flight home.

In Group D, Wales faced Fiji at the Waikato Stadium. The Welsh wound up taking advantage of a weak Fiji side. Jamie Roberts and Scott Williams opened the scoring with tries(both converted by Rhys Priestland) before Priestland added a pen and George North and Sam Warburton added another try each(both converted by Priestland) before half time. In the second half came more Welsh tries. A second one from Roberts(converted by Priestland) and then ones from Lloyd Burns, Leigh Halfpenny, Lloyd Williams and Jonathon Davis(all converted by Stephen Jones). Wales won 66-0. That leaves Wales 2nd in the group and heading for the quarter finals. They finish three points behind group leaders South Africa and five points ahead of Samoa and an early plane home.

In Group C, Ireland faced Italy at the Otago Stadium. Ireland opened the scoring with a Ronan O'Gara penalty with Italy equalising with Mirco Bergamasco matching him. Then O'Gara grabbed another pen, then Bergamaso then another O'Gara pen gave Ireland the lead going into half time. In the second half the Irish took over. O'Gara got another pen before Brian O'Drisscoll and Keith Earls grabbed tries(both converted by O'Gara. Johnathon Sexton then grabbed another pen for the Irish and then Earls grabbed his second try right at the end(converted by Sexton). Ireland won 36-6. They finish top of the group, two points ahead of nearest challengers Australia and seven ahead of Italy and the early plane home.

So the quarter final lineup looks like this:

New Zealand vs Argentina

England vs France

Ireland vs Wales

South Africa vs Australia

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