Australia hammer USA
Australia rebounded from their shock defeat to Ireland with a
comprehensive 67-5 bonus-point victory over the United States to get
their World Cup campaign firmly back on track.
In a must-win match after last week’s 15-6 defeat, the Wallabies
withstood a gallant first-half display by a largely second-string US
side but eventually ran in eleven tries as their superior physicality
and slick handling shone through.
Adam Ashley-Cooper bagged a hat-trick while Anthony Fainga’a (two),
Robert Horne, Rocky Elsom, Kurtley Beale, Drew Mitchell, Pat McCabe and
Radike Samo all also crossed for tries. Quade Cooper and Berrick Barnes
banged over six conversions between them.
Number eight J.J. Gagiano crossed for a well-taken try for a US team
that enjoyed a large percentage of territory and advantage in the
opening 40 minutes but overcommitted at the ruck and looked
leaden-footed out wide later in the game.
After making a handful of schoolboy errors in the opening minutes,
much to the enjoyment of the jeering crowd, Auckland-born Cooper was
instrumental in the first try as he opened up the defence for Horne.
A sizzling break by Beale was the spark for Elsom crossing for
Australia’s second just minutes later with the US defence in disarray.
The USA managed to ride out some sustained Wallaby pressure and move
up into the Australian 22m area, going close with several salvos at the
line.
Gagiano then delighted the crowd by picking up from the back of a
fast-retreating five-metre scrum and getting past a desperate Elsom
lunge to score a deserved try for the USA.
But against the run of play, Australia hit back with 12 points in
four minutes. From a knock-on close to their own line, Elsom opened up
the defence, Ashley-Cooper made more ground and bounced a poor tackle to
play in Beale for a try that Cooper converted.
Wycliff Palu then split the defence and off-loaded to Horne, whose
pass found Fainga’a in space, the centre riding another poor tackle to
ground the ball.
The second half started with Australia in control, Mitchell scoring
off a simple wing move, Berrick Barnes pulling the strings superbly
having replaced Beale and moved into fly-half as Cooper moved to
fullback. McCabe scored with his first touch of the ball as the
floodgates opened and the Americans looked a spent force after their
first-half endeavours.
AFP |