Australia Words, Deeds

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Posted: Thursday October 28, 1999 04:10 PM

LONDON (Reuters) -- World Cup words and deeds from Australia on the way to its semifinal with holders South Africa at Twickenham on Saturday.

Group E Matches

Australia opened their campaign in style, overwhelming a courageous but hopelessly outclassed Romanian team in a game that looked more like a Sunday afternoon touch football match than a full-fledged international.

Playing their first match in more than a month, the Wallabies dusted off the cobwebs with an encouraging performance, running in nine tries to register their biggest ever win in World Cup history.

Veteran center Tim Horan opened the scoring within two minutes and earned a US$16,520 bonus for his favorite charity from one of the tournament sponsors Guinness by scoring a try in less time than it takes to pour a pint of thick, black stout.

Tries: Tim Horan, Toutai Kefu (3), Jason Little, Joe Roff (2), Jeremy Paul, Matt Burke.
Conversions: Matt Burke (5), John Eales.

Team: 15-Matt Burke (Nathan Grey 77); 14-Ben Tune (Joe Roff 40), 13-Daniel Herbert, 12-Tim Horan, 11-Jason Little; 10-Rod Kafer, 9-George Gregan (Chris Whitaker 66); 8-Toutai Kefu, 7-David Wilson (Tiaan Strauss 40), 20-Owen Finegan (Mark Connors 66), 5- John Eales (captain), 4-David Giffin, 3-Andrew Blades, 2-Phil Kearns (Jeremy Paul 40), 1-Richard Harry (Dan Crowley 69).

Quote: "Australia are one of the strongest teams in the world and when you consider everything, we did well to keep the score to 50." -- Romanian coach Mircea Paraschiv.

Venue: Lansdowne Road, Dublin
Date: October 10
Result: Australia 23-Ireland 3

Australia ensured their place in the quarterfinals but only after an uncharacteristically jittery win over Ireland at Lansdowne Road in a match that failed to reach any great heights.

The Wallabies recovered after a nervous, mistake-riddled first half to run away with the match in the second term and guarantee themselves a place in the last eight as pool E winners.

It was a scrappy affair with only two tries from Tim Horan and Ben Tune in the second half.

Australian number eight Toutai Kefu was cited and later suspended for two games for punching.

Tries: Tim Horan, Ben Tune.
Penalties: Matthew Burke (2), John Eales.
Conversions: Burke (2)

Team: 15-Matthew Burke; 14-Ben Tune (Jason Little 75), 13-Daniel Herbert, 12-Tim Horan (Nathan Grey 74), 11-Joe Roff; 10- Stephen Larkham, 9-George Gregan; 8-Toutai Kefu, 7-David Wilson, 6-Mark Connors, 5-John Eales (captain) (Tiaan Strauss 64), 4- David Giffin (Owen Finegan 57), 3-Andrew Blades, 2-Phil Kearns (Jeremy Paul 9), 1-Richard Harry (Dan Crowley 70).

Quote: "We feel in this case there was an injustice done." -- Australian coach Rod Macqueen on the Kefu suspension later. But the Wallabies decided not to appeal against the ban.

Venue: Thomond Park, Limerick
Date: October 14
Result: Australia 55-United States 19
It wasn't quite in the same mould as the All Blacks, but Australia finally showed off some of their muscle with a 55-19 win.

With the Wallabies already guaranteed a quarterfinal berth as pool winners, Australia's selectors gave their second-choice players a chance and they did not disappoint, running in eight tries to overwhelm their opponents.

Winger Scott Staniforth scored two of them on his test debut while Matthew Burke, playing wing instead of his usual position of fullback, finished with 20 points from a try, six penalties and a conversion.

Tries: Stephen Larkham, Scott Staniforth (2), Michael Foley, Matthew Burke, Tiaan Strauss, Chris Latham, Chris Whitaker.
Conversions: Matthew Burke (5), Joe Roff.
Penalty: Matthew Burke.

Team: 15-Chris Latham; 14-Scott Staniforth, 13-Jason Little (captain), 12-Nathan Grey, 11-Matthew Burke; 10-Stephen Larkham (Rod Kafer 50), 9-Chris Whitaker; 8-Jim Williams (David Giffin 65), 7-Tiaan Strauss, 6-Owen Finegan, 5-Tom Bowman (Matt Cockbain 54), 4-Mark Connors, 3-Rod Moore, 2-Michael Foley, 1-Dan Crowley.

Quote: "There's no doubt we're not as happy as we should be. We are continuing to miss a lot of opportunities we create for ourselves which I can only put down to over-anxiousness." -- Macqueen.

Quarterfinal

Australia overcame a spirited challenge from tournament hosts Wales to win a tough quarterfinal at a soggy Millennium Stadium. The pitch was as slippery as ice after the rain.

Two tries by scrumhalf George Gregan and one from winger Ben Tune, either side of a scrappy but extraordinarily tense 35 scoreless minutes in the middle period, proved decisive for the Wallabies who always looked to have the edge.

Tries: George Gregan (2), Ben Tune.
Conversions: Matthew Burke (3).
Penalty: Burke.

Team: 15-Matthew Burke; 14-Ben Tune (16-Jason Little 78), 13-Daniel Herbert, 12-Tim Horan, 11-Joe Roff; 10-Stephen Larkham, 9-George Gregan; 8-Tiaan Strauss, 7-David Wilson, 6-Matthew Cockbain (Owen Finegan 62), 5-John Eales (captain) (19-Mark Connors 80), 4-David Giffin, 3-Andrew Blades, 2-Michael Foley (Jeremy Paul 70) 1-Richard Harry.

Quote: "It's like having a Ferrari in the garage and going out and catching the bus." Center Horan is puzzled why organizers did not close the Millennium Stadium's roof with the rain pouring down.

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