Cueto hat-trick adds to commanding England lead at half-time

HT England 34 Romania 3

Mark Cueto scored a hat-trick in the space of 12 minutes as England stormed into a commanding half-time lead against Romania at the Otago Stadium.

Chris Ashton then ran in two of his own as England laid waste to a second-string Romanian side, securing the four-try bonus point after just 31 minutes.

Cueto, who was making his first start of the tournament after recovering from a back injury, becomes the third England player to score a World Cup hat-trick after Mike Harrison in 1987 and Josh Lewsey in 2003.

Wilkinson found Ashton with an accurate kick-pass as England had Romania on the ropes, with quick passes between Ashton, Foden and Croft but the move was ended with another forward pass.

It was one-way traffic, though, and Cueto completed his hat-trick inside 12 minutes after finishing a clinical counter-attack, which began with Tindall winning a turnover in England’s half.

England secured the four-try bonus point after 31 minutes when Ashton finished a classic training-ground move, collecting the inside ball from Wilkinson to cut a fantastic line after Croft had won clean line-out ball.

Ashton then streaked away for his second try three minutes later after excellent work from Deacon and Steve Thompson, who both drew defenders to create the space.

Romania got themselves on the scoreboard with a penalty from Iulian Dumitras after Tuilagi had drifted in front of Haskell and was pulled back for obstruction.

England replaced Wilkinson with Toby Flood and Dan Cole with David Wilson at half-time - and carried on where they had left off with a try after just 20 seconds.

Youngs launched the attack with a break down the blindside deep in England’s half and he combined with Tuilagi before receiving the pass back to score his second try of the tournament.

Haskell was penalised after being caught with his hands in the ruck and soon gave away another for not being back 10 metres, just the kind of sloppiness that enraged Johnson last week.

Marin Danut Dumbrava had another shot from long range and missed his second attempt of the game before England sent on hooker Lee Mears for Thompson.

England then won clean line-out ball on halfway and Tuilagi burst onto a flat pass from Flood and through the Romanian defensive line before supplying the scoring pass to Foden.

Romania enjoyed their best passage of play just before the hour mark, after Tom Palmer had been penalised for failing to release and the Oaks went for the corner.

Romania’s strength lies up front, as Scotland almost found to their cost in the opening game, and England’s defensive line had to repel wave after wave of pressure.

Romania drove England back at a five-metre scrum but a knock-on allowed Youngs to boot the ball clear and relieve the pressure.

Cole returned to the action in place of Corbisiero while Delon Armitage took over from Foden and Simon Shaw was sent on for Deacon.

England hit the half-century through Tuilagi, who burst through an inviting gap in a broken Romanian defensive line to score his fourth try in five Tests.