England in control at half-time

England 34 Georgia 3

England registered a 34-3 interval lead against World Cup minnows Georgia in their Pool C opener at Subiaco Oval tonight, scoring four unanswered tries.

England launched their World Cup campaign in typically English conditions at a rain-lashed Subiaco Stadium tonight.

The weather in Western Australia took a major turn for the worse about five hours before kick-off.

Whereas England’s prolonged build-up for the Pool C opener against tournament minnows Georgia had been highlighted by sunny and warm weather, everything changed on match day.

The rain poured down, complete with a bracing wind, and English fans arrived at the ground, much of which is open to the elements, cursed their luck.

England fielded the team announced by head coach Clive Woodward earlier this week, although an enforced change among their replacements saw Dan Luger take over from calf injury victim Iain Balshaw.

Woodward fielded 14 of the side which accounted for world champions Australia in Melbourne four months ago, with scrum-half Matt Dawson replacing Kyran Bracken as the solitary change.

Georgia, who were making their World Cup debut, handed captaincy duties to left-wing Vasil Katsadze, but on paper, there appeared little to trouble England, the RBS 6 Nations champions and world-ranked number one team.

England were forced into another change on the bench when scrum-half Bracken suffered a back muscle injury during the pre-match warm-up.

Bracken saw his place among the substitutes taken by Gloucester scrum-half Andy Gomarsall.

A period of silence was held before kick-off in memory of the Bali bombing victims but once the action got underway, England made initial headway and gained two penalties from Argentinian referee Pablo Deluca.

Fly-half Jonny Wilkinson duly accepted his first chance of the World Cup, rifling over a 35-metre penalty kick as England established a 3-0 lead inside three minutes.

Georgia’s early defensive work was committed, organised and full of desire, and they put England wing Jason Robinson under pressure as England took time to settle.

England were stunned in the eighth minute when Georgia drew level thanks to a superb 48-metre penalty from right-wing Malkhaz Urjukashvili.

The kick stung England into action, and wing Ben Cohen almost got on the end of centre Mike Tindall’s well-placed kick, but the ball squirted clear in slippery conditions.

Georgia continued to tackle like demons, yet they were powerless to prevent England’s opening try on 14 minutes. Lock Ben Kay stole Georgian lineout ball, and Tindall was sent scampering clear for a well-worked touchdown which Wilkinson effortlessly converted.

England had found some momentum, especially through the forwards, and their second try arrived in the 19th minute.

Number eight Lawrence Dallaglio picked and delivered from the back of a scrum, finding scrum-half Matt Dawson in support. The Northampton player darted clear to the posts, and Wilkinson’s conversion posted a 17-3 advantage.

Georgia made 50 tackles in the opening 25 minutes but there was only so much the minnows could do and, being starved of possession, further scores were inevitable.

England lock Ben Kay created try number three when he galloped clear inside the Georgian half, and his main support came from an unlikely source – hooker Steve Thompson – who showed the opposition defence a clean pair of heels.

Wilkinson converted and was then on hand again three minutes later, adding the extra points after a try which came from a glaring Georgian blunder.

Number eight George Chkhaidze fumbled possession from a scrum near his own line, allowing flanker Neil Back to pounce and get hands on the loose ball. With less than half an hour gone, England led 31-3 and had already collected a bonus point.

Georgia’s early spirit was in danger of being extinguished and they gained little comfort from prop Jason Leonard’s appearance off the bench for his 107th cap as a blood replacement for Trevor Woodman.

Woodman returned within 60 seconds though and he came within inches of his first Test try, but he just failed to ground possession as last-gasp Georgian defence denied him.

England made a double substitution four minutes before the break when Gomarsall replaced Dawson and Dan Luger took over from Tindall, who appeared to have a slight limp.

Robinson moved into the centre and England finished the half ploughing relentlessly on through their forwards. They still encountered a brave Georgian defence, and England had to settle for four first-half tries against the World Cup qualifiers, with Wilkinson landing an injury-time penalty.