Wallabies regain Cook Cup with six-try win over England

Australia 43 England 18

Hapless England suffered a fifth successive Test match defeat – their worst run for 22 years – to pile the pressure on struggling head coach Andy Robinson.

Not since 1984, when Wales, France, South Africa (twice) and Australia toppled them, have England experienced such a demoralising results sequence.

It was another chastening experience for Robinson, who has lost 10 of his 18 Tests in charge since replacing World Cup-winning mastermind Sir Clive Woodward.

The Wallabies followed up last weekend’s 34-3 stroll in Sydney by putting England out of sight before half-time through tries from George Smith, Mark Gerrard and Lote Tuqiri as they regained the Cook Cup.

And when both England props Graham Rowntree and Julian White departed at the break through injuries, the tourists’ misery was complete, engaging in uncontested scrums with flanker Joe Worsley packing down in the front-row alongside Tim Payne and George Chuter.

Flanker Mark Chisholm claimed a fourth Wallabies touchdown before Gerrard crossed again and fly-half Stephen Larkham completed the rout, with skipper Stirling Mortlock booting five conversions and a penalty.

England mustered a consolation tries by Chuter and wing Tom Varndell, plus a penalty and drop-goal from fly-half Andy Goode.

England, without a win since mid-February, are next in action against red-hot World Cup favourites New Zealand on November 5.

And the All Blacks are likely to run them ragged, so low are English confidence levels, a sorry situation illustrated by Varndell’s nightmare experience in attack and defence.

England have players such as Martin Corry, Charlie Hodgson, Josh Lewsey, Mark Cueto and Steve Thompson to return, but time is running out towards their 2007 World Cup defence, with the heat being turned up on Robinson.

Their latest two-Test expedition Down Under proved a miserable failure, although Robinson will undoubtedly attempt to clutch at straws.

England suffered a late injury blow when flanker Lewis Moody withdrew from the second Test.

The 40 times-capped Leicester forward failed to recover from a calf muscle strain, and was ruled out of contention, so Robinson drafted in London-born former Australia Under-21 international Michael Lipman for his first Test start.

As in Sydney, England began brightly, with Varndell given an immediate chance to run at opposite number Tuqiri, and the world champions monopolised early possession.

It brought a reward when Goode slotted a fourth-minute drop-goal, but the lead lasted barely 100 seconds as Australia scored from their first attack.

Larkham’s kick into space caused little initial danger, but it bounced off Goode and Smith hacked clear, capitalising on another kind bounce – this time off Varndell – for a clear run to the posts.

England did not lack ambition, yet their basic passing skills were sub-standard, and Australia gained an attacking five-metre scrum as full-back Iain Balshaw was forced over his own line.

Australia’s attacking aggression reaped its reward when, from the ensuing scrum, Larkham’s high kick to the corner saw Gerrard clutch possession ahead of a challenging Mathew Tait to touch down.

England, with their forwards battling hard, still enjoyed plenty of possession, but they could make little headway opposite a physical Wallabies back division.

Tuqiri, especially, enjoyed the close-quarter combat, dumping Varndell with relish, yet England cut the deficit to six points when Goode landed a 40-metre penalty after Wallabies lock Nathan Sharpe infringed at a lineout.

Australia lost injured prop Rodney Blake on 27 minutes, and he was replaced by Al Baxter, whose first contribution was to concede a penalty that Goode booted into touch just outside Australia’s 22.

England could not maintain territory though, and a raking Chris Latham clearance sent the visitors back-pedalling 50 metres.

Both sides continued to make errors, but England almost worked Varndell away, only to be denied by a superb Latham tackle, then Australia lost number eight Rocky Elsom through injury, handing New South Wales Waratahs flanker Wycliff Palu a Test debut.

Australia though, struck a killer blow on the stroke of half-time when Latham smashed through four attempted tackles in midfield, brushing aside Worsley, Rowntree, Chuter and Lipman before delivering a superb inside pass that enabled Tuqiri to crash over.

Mortlock converted, and England trooped off at the break 19-6 adrift, facing little more than another demoralising damage-limitation exercise.

Uncontested scrums made for a totally unsatisfactory situation, and England conceded a fourth try on 45 minutes when Chisholm was sent through a huge defensive hole.

Mortlock slotted the conversion, putting England 20 points behind, although Chuter at least gave visiting supporters something to cheer as he sprinted over for his team’s first try on tour.

Chuter’s score on his first Test match start gave England a glimmer of hope, although Australia looked to maintain a high tempo by spreading possession wide at every opportunity.

Harlequins-bound centre Stuart Abbott replaced Tait on 55 minutes – Jamie Noon moved to the wing – then George Gregan took the field to resounding cheers for his landmark 120th cap, overtaking Jason Leonard’s world record for England and the Lions.