England seize the initiative

Rugby League World Cup: Robinson and Newlove capitalise on Australian errors as the hosts revel in a rousing start

England 20 Australia 16

Tries: Farrell 36, Joynt 44 Tries: Menzies 31, 80

Robinson 69 Coyne 50

Newlove 74

Goals: Farrell 44, 69 Goals: Wishart 31, 80

THE HALIFAX Centenary World Cup got off to exactly the start that its organisers, being English, had hoped for. It was a gripping game, there was a gratifying crowd and the home team won. England capitalised on Australia's mistakes to score the crucial points in a fashion so ruthless that they might have learned it from their guests.

There had been almost 20 minutes of deadlock at 10-10 when a flurry of tries decided the match. With 12 minutes to go Lee Jackson, directed the ball towards Australia's Tongan winger, John Hopoate. What happened next will haunt Hopoate for some time. He picked the ball up safely enough, but then lost possession under the double onslaught of Jackson and Barrie- Jon Mather. Jason Robinson was able to pick up gleefully and dive over for a try, despite Tim Brasher's flying tackle. Andrew Farrell converted magnificently from the touchline.

The England coach, Phil Larder, admitted that Hopoate had been targeted as an opponent likely to make an expensive mistake. The captain, Shaun Edwards, made no secret of his pleasure at the winger obliging. "He had been very unsporting in the things he had said to our full-back, Kris Radlinski, when he had lost the ball for Australia's try earlier in the half," Edwards said. "I felt he got his just deserts."

Hopoate was not the only Australian player harried into mistakes by the pressure England were able to exert. Forced to chase a match that was running away from them, they gave the increasingly dangerous Paul Newlove his chance to clinch the game six minutes later. Australia's other Tongan, Jim Dymock, tried to get his pass to Brasher. Instead, Newlove snaffled it and travelled almost half the length of the field to score.

The game was now England's, even though Steve Menzies went over for his second try of the match in injury time as if to emphasise that there is plenty of life left in Australia. It will be no surprise if the two teams line up again in the same stadium to contest the final on 28 October.

That was the dominant theme of both the coaches afterwards, Larder stressing that there would be no resting on laurels from England. "I was delighted with the changing room. It was totally quiet - no celebrations - everybody really focused on what still has to be done," he said.

England could have taken a lead as early as the ninth minute when Jackson and the hard-working Phil Clarke sent Mather down the right wing. The 6ft 7in strode away and he was odds-on to score until Brasher took him into touch with an immaculate cover tackle.

Ten minutes before half-time, Australia took possession from a clever Edwards kick that could have released Clarke but just eluded him, Edwards was penalised harshly at a play-the-ball and Australia's half-backs combined beautifully with Geoff Toovey finding Brad Fittler and the captain sending Menzies over for a try. England struck back five minutes later as Edwards' kick drew a knock-on from Brasher. The man-of-the-match, Farrell, picked up at the scrum base and used all his size and strength to power down the blindside, carrying Toovey and Menzies along on his back as he crossed the line.

Australia had moved with ominous purpose at times in the first half and England might have been a shade relieved to be only two points down at the break. The second half, though, belonged unequivocally to them.

Robinson went within a fraction of scoring after another Edwards bomb, but the try was not long delayed as the first of England's occasional kickers, Chris Joynt, toed the ball through and was credited with a dubious- looking touchdown after Brasher could only flap at it.

It looked a dubious try and Fulton certainly thought so, without wanting to be thought the sort of person who complains about such things. Farrell's goal put England four points ahead, but that lead was wiped out when the 19-year-old Radlinski experienced his one bad moment in an otherwise brave and composed debut. Radlinski completely misjudged Fittler's high kick and the ball bounced perfectly for Mark Coyne to seize it and score.

Overall, the opportunities were seized by England, who took advantage of all the scraps they were offered, and the more substantial rations. As Edwards said, that was exactly what his side had set out to do. In the process they injected verve into a tournament that has suffered a lethargic build-up.

The warning for England, who now stand to meet the winners of the Welsh group in their semi-final, is that Australia have proved themselves well capable of bouncing back from defeats.

Australia: Brasher (Sydney Tigers); Wishart (Illawarra), Coyne (St George), Hill, Hopoate (Manly); Fittler (Penrith), Toovey; Gillespie (Manly), Bartrim (St George), Carroll, Menzies (Manly), Pay, Dymock (Sydney Bulldogs). Substitutes: Harragon (Newcastle) for Gillespie (22), Smith (Sydney Bulldogs) for Carroll (51), M Johns (Newcastle) for Bartrim (70).

England: Radlinski; Robinson, Mather (Wigan), Newlove (Bradford), Bentley (Halifax); Powell (Keighley), Edwards (Wigan); Harrison (Halifax), Jackson (Sheffield), Platt (Widnes), Betts (Auckland), Clarke (Sydney City), Farrell (Wigan). Substitutes: Joynt (St Helens) for Harrison (27), Haughton (Wigan) for Platt (64).

Referee: S Cummings (Widnes).