AUSTRALIA BOUNCED BACK from their opening tour defeat to England with a 20 -50 demolition of Italy in Turin.
However, in the early stages in looked as though their lacklustre form may continue as Italy took an early 10 – 0 lead with Luke McLean’s converted try adding to Alberto di Bernardo’s opening penalty.
That advantage, however, was overhauled within 10 minutes as Quade Cooper converted tries by Ben Mowen and Tevita Kuridrani.
Nick Cummins would cross for Australia’s third score without response after 31 minutes and Ewen McKenzie’s men carried that 19 – 10 advantage through the half time break.
The left winger was on the scoresheet a second time 10 minutes after half time and that was the signal for the Wallabies to start calling bodies ashore in preparation for next weekend’s visit to Dublin.
Massimo Pinca/AP/Press Association Images
There was still plenty of time left for five more tries; Lorenzo Cittadini grounded on 62 minutes and debutant out-half Tommy Allen got his first points for Italy two minutes before the final whistle.
By that stage though, Scotland’s 20 points was dwarfed by the Wallabies seven-try, 50-point haul; rounded off with five-pointers from Adam Ashley-Cooper, Joe Tomae and Israel Folau.
Twelvetrees shows his English mettle
ENGLAND’S SCRUM HAD their wicked way with Australia but was the only creaking point in an impressive 31 — 12 win over Argentina at Twickenham.
Stuart Lancaster rested some of the XV that defeated the Wallabies last weekend but retained an experienced spine. Captain Chris Robshaw excelled and Mike Brown was a positive attacking spear from fullback. Questions were raised over Billy Twelvetrees retention in the XV after he missed three crucial tackles against Australia but the Gloucester man looked solid and scored a bustling first-half try.
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Nicolas Sanchez and Owen Farrell penalties had the score 3 — 3 after 10 minutes but England had their lineout and maul working and soon set up camp in the Argentine half. Joe Launchbury powered over on 12 minutes after the home side set up a rolling maul that could not be contained.
Chris Ashton was on the scoresheet for England. Jonathan Brady/PA Wire
Twelvetrees’ try was the pick of the English bunch as he backed himself, with two unmarked teammates to his left, and carried two Argentineans over the line. Chris Ashton was held up in the right corner but finished a second chance when it came his way. The visitors kept in distant touch through Sanchez penalties as England struggled in the scrummaging battle.
Marcelo Bosch missed a penalty that would have made it 31 — 15 going into the final 10 minutes but missed. The result was put beyond doubt when Morgan bust up the centre and brushed off two tackles before diving over.
Six for Scotland against Brave Blossoms
Scotland survived two second half scares to get their November test campaign off to a winning start against a plucky Japanese side at Murrayfield with a 42-17 victory.
The Scots led 11-3 at half time but tries by left wing Kenki Fukuuoka twice pegged back the gap to a single point before the hosts pulled clear with four tries in the final 25 minutes.
Scotland bagged six tries in all, wing Tommy Seymour claiming a brace on his home debut and Greig Laidlaw, Alasdair Dickinson, Duncan Weir and Sean Lamont also crossing the opposition whitewash.
The Scots lined up without the injured Stuart Hogg and Tim Visser, Maitland switching from the wing to full-back and Lamont and Seymour filling the vacant berths out wide.
It was the Scots who made the better start, putting the ‘Brave Blossoms’ on the back foot from the off. They took the lead in the seventh minute, scrum-half Laidlaw landing a penalty from the right after the Japanese front row were punished for failing to bind correctly.
Japan might have struck back but after building some promising attacking momentum the move came to a juddering halt when centre Craig Wing was shunted backwards by Swinson.
Thereafter, the Scots regained the upper hand. Laidlaw sent a second penalty attempt, from wide on the right, slamming into the near post in the 17th minute but five minutes later the Edinburgh player made amends with his third pot at the posts, doubling the home lead to 6-0.
It took Scotland half an hour to fully get into the attacking groove but they did so with a vengeance, Maitland making a half break on the left before play was switched to the right and drives by Swinson and David Denton set up Seymour for a score in the corner.
Laidlaw pushed the conversion wide, though, and after full back Ayumu Goromuru nailed a 37th minute penalty for Japan, Scotland had to settle for an 11-3 half-time lead when Lamont followed up a dazzling break by Nick De Luca to cross the try-line – only for the score to be chalked off by television match official Marshall Kilgore because of blocking by Swinson.
Danny Lawson/PA Wire/Press Association Images
Japan cut the gap to 11-10 three minutes into the second half. Fukuoka scored in the left corner, finishing off a move launched by scrum-half Fuimaka Tanaka and Goromuru converted.
There were sighs of relief when Laidlaw dived over to score from a close range ruck four minutes later. His successful conversion made it 18-10 to Scotland.
Again, Japan hit back, Goromaru punching a hole in the home defence and Fukuoka scooting over for his second try on the right. Goromura's conversion closed the gap to 18-17.
Then it was Scotland's turn again. Jackson sent a long looping pass out to the right and Seymour crossed for his second try.
Laidlaw missed the conversion but Scotland maintained their momentum, replacement prop Dickinson scoring under the posts in the 64th minute and Laidlaw adding the conversion to make it 30-17.
Five minutes later replacement fly-half Weir squeezed over to score in the left corner. Then, with two minutes remaining, Lamont touched down a loose kick and Weir converted to complete an ultimately comfortable victory
-- Additional reporting by Patrick McCarry and AFP
Australia bite back as Chariot rolls over Argentina
AUSTRALIA BOUNCED BACK from their opening tour defeat to England with a 20 -50 demolition of Italy in Turin.
However, in the early stages in looked as though their lacklustre form may continue as Italy took an early 10 – 0 lead with Luke McLean’s converted try adding to Alberto di Bernardo’s opening penalty.
That advantage, however, was overhauled within 10 minutes as Quade Cooper converted tries by Ben Mowen and Tevita Kuridrani.
Nick Cummins would cross for Australia’s third score without response after 31 minutes and Ewen McKenzie’s men carried that 19 – 10 advantage through the half time break.
The left winger was on the scoresheet a second time 10 minutes after half time and that was the signal for the Wallabies to start calling bodies ashore in preparation for next weekend’s visit to Dublin.
Massimo Pinca/AP/Press Association Images
There was still plenty of time left for five more tries; Lorenzo Cittadini grounded on 62 minutes and debutant out-half Tommy Allen got his first points for Italy two minutes before the final whistle.
By that stage though, Scotland’s 20 points was dwarfed by the Wallabies seven-try, 50-point haul; rounded off with five-pointers from Adam Ashley-Cooper, Joe Tomae and Israel Folau.
Twelvetrees shows his English mettle
ENGLAND’S SCRUM HAD their wicked way with Australia but was the only creaking point in an impressive 31 — 12 win over Argentina at Twickenham.
Stuart Lancaster rested some of the XV that defeated the Wallabies last weekend but retained an experienced spine. Captain Chris Robshaw excelled and Mike Brown was a positive attacking spear from fullback. Questions were raised over Billy Twelvetrees retention in the XV after he missed three crucial tackles against Australia but the Gloucester man looked solid and scored a bustling first-half try.
Nicolas Sanchez and Owen Farrell penalties had the score 3 — 3 after 10 minutes but England had their lineout and maul working and soon set up camp in the Argentine half. Joe Launchbury powered over on 12 minutes after the home side set up a rolling maul that could not be contained.
Twelvetrees’ try was the pick of the English bunch as he backed himself, with two unmarked teammates to his left, and carried two Argentineans over the line. Chris Ashton was held up in the right corner but finished a second chance when it came his way. The visitors kept in distant touch through Sanchez penalties as England struggled in the scrummaging battle.
Marcelo Bosch missed a penalty that would have made it 31 — 15 going into the final 10 minutes but missed. The result was put beyond doubt when Morgan bust up the centre and brushed off two tackles before diving over.
Six for Scotland against Brave Blossoms
Scotland survived two second half scares to get their November test campaign off to a winning start against a plucky Japanese side at Murrayfield with a 42-17 victory.
The Scots led 11-3 at half time but tries by left wing Kenki Fukuuoka twice pegged back the gap to a single point before the hosts pulled clear with four tries in the final 25 minutes.
Scotland bagged six tries in all, wing Tommy Seymour claiming a brace on his home debut and Greig Laidlaw, Alasdair Dickinson, Duncan Weir and Sean Lamont also crossing the opposition whitewash.
The Scots lined up without the injured Stuart Hogg and Tim Visser, Maitland switching from the wing to full-back and Lamont and Seymour filling the vacant berths out wide.
It was the Scots who made the better start, putting the ‘Brave Blossoms’ on the back foot from the off. They took the lead in the seventh minute, scrum-half Laidlaw landing a penalty from the right after the Japanese front row were punished for failing to bind correctly.
Japan might have struck back but after building some promising attacking momentum the move came to a juddering halt when centre Craig Wing was shunted backwards by Swinson.
Thereafter, the Scots regained the upper hand. Laidlaw sent a second penalty attempt, from wide on the right, slamming into the near post in the 17th minute but five minutes later the Edinburgh player made amends with his third pot at the posts, doubling the home lead to 6-0.
It took Scotland half an hour to fully get into the attacking groove but they did so with a vengeance, Maitland making a half break on the left before play was switched to the right and drives by Swinson and David Denton set up Seymour for a score in the corner.
Laidlaw pushed the conversion wide, though, and after full back Ayumu Goromuru nailed a 37th minute penalty for Japan, Scotland had to settle for an 11-3 half-time lead when Lamont followed up a dazzling break by Nick De Luca to cross the try-line – only for the score to be chalked off by television match official Marshall Kilgore because of blocking by Swinson.
Japan cut the gap to 11-10 three minutes into the second half. Fukuoka scored in the left corner, finishing off a move launched by scrum-half Fuimaka Tanaka and Goromuru converted.
There were sighs of relief when Laidlaw dived over to score from a close range ruck four minutes later. His successful conversion made it 18-10 to Scotland.
Again, Japan hit back, Goromaru punching a hole in the home defence and Fukuoka scooting over for his second try on the right. Goromura's conversion closed the gap to 18-17.
Then it was Scotland's turn again. Jackson sent a long looping pass out to the right and Seymour crossed for his second try.
Laidlaw missed the conversion but Scotland maintained their momentum, replacement prop Dickinson scoring under the posts in the 64th minute and Laidlaw adding the conversion to make it 30-17.
Five minutes later replacement fly-half Weir squeezed over to score in the left corner. Then, with two minutes remaining, Lamont touched down a loose kick and Weir converted to complete an ultimately comfortable victory
-- Additional reporting by Patrick McCarry and AFP
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