OITA, Japan (AP) - A look back at England vs. Australia matches in Rugby World Cup history:
1987 Sydney: Australia 19, England 6
Trailing only 6-0 in a hard-fought pool match, England leveled through a Mike Harrison converted try at Concord Oval. The Wallabies reclaimed the lead with a controversial David Campese try in the 50th minute. He placed the ball on the knee of opposite Rory Underwood but referee Keith Lawrence awarded the try. Simon Poidevin’s try put the result beyond doubt.
1991 London: Australia 12, England 6
Chastened by a 40-15 thrashing in Sydney four months earlier, England naively changed tactics for the final from an effective 10-man game to razzle-dazzle. Australia’s defense was frazzled, with John Eales making a try-saving tackle on Rob Andrew, and David Campese making a contentious slap-down of a pass meant for Rory Underwood that conceded a penalty and not the penalty try England wanted. The only try was given to prop Tony Daly from a maul off a Willie Ofahengaue lineout take. Australia won its first Rugby World Cup crown.
1995 Cape Town: England 25, Australia 22
England’s Rob Andrew and Australia’s Michael Lynagh matched each other off the tee in this thrilling quarterfinal at Newlands, each slotting five penalties and a conversion. They were finally separated in the second minute of injury time by Andrew’s dropped goal from 45 meters off a lineout win. It marked England’s first win over Australia in the southern hemisphere. Campese somehow walked onto the England bus afterward and endured some razzing.
2003 Sydney: England 20, Australia 17, ET
England overcame an early Lote Tuqiri try with a Jason Robinson try and three Jonny Wilkinson penalties to lead this dramatic final 14-5. Australia rallied through Elton Flatley’s penalties to level in the last minute of regulation. In extra time, penalties were traded and England missed two dropped goal attempts. Finally, in the 100th and last minute, Wilkinson’s dropped goal from 28 meters earned England a first Rugby World Cup title.
2007 Marseille: England 12, Australia 10
Australia, the odds-on favorite, led this quarterfinal at halftime 10-6. But the Wallabies couldn’t handle England’s emerging forward power, notably loosehead prop Andrew Sheridan, and began backpedaling. Jonny Wilkinson kicked his side ahead with his third and fourth penalties. Australia’s Stirling Mortlock missed a late penalty attempt from the touchline, and England incredibly held out for a shocking win.
2015 London: Australia 33, England 13
Australia hammered the nail in England’s coffin by condemning it as the first tournament host to fail to reach the knockout stage. England rallied from 20-3 down early in the second half to within seven, but Owen Farrell’s yellow card for a dangerous tackle on Matt Giteau unraveled the home side. Bernard Foley, in a 28-point haul, added two penalties and converted a try by Giteau to complete Australia’s biggest winning margin against England at Twickenham.
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