England stun Aussies to pull off betting smash and grab

World Cup / Editor / 06 October 2007 / Leave a Comment

Australia backed at 1.1 but it's England who win 12-10 to march on to the World Cup semi-finals

It was shades of the final in 2003 as England's magnificent pack bullied Australia off the ball and Jonny Wilkinson kicked the points to see the reigning World Champions into the last four.

At kick-off Australia were huge favourites on Betfair at 1.18 but England made their intentions clear from the start, dominating the battle up front. However it was the Aussies who edged in front with a Stirling Mortlock penalty - at that point they were backed at 1.1 to win the match with England laid at 11.

That looked to be a good move all round because - despite two successful kicks at goal from Jonny and some great team work which had Australia under near-constant pressure - winger Lote Tuqiri bundled over the try line to give the Wallabies a 10-6 half-time lead. Australia were backed into 1.2 with England playing well but still unfancied at 6.4

However Australia had no answer to rampant English forwards after the break. They were blanked in the second period while Jonny kicked two more penalties to put his team 12-10 in front.

England still had to hold out for another 20 minutes - and watch as Mortlock went agonisingly close with a late penalty - before claiming their greatest victory since lifting the Webb Ellis Trophy in Sydney four years ago.