England survived their toughest test of the World Cup here in Melbourne last night, producing two superb late tries to kill off the brave islanders.
With Jonny Wilkinson missing several easy kicks and England generally struggling in all areas, big-hitting Samoa looked set to produce the first big shock of the tournament as they led deep in to the second half.
And their kicker Earl Va’a, who told me last week that he only practices his kicking for an hour a week, actually outkicked the great Wilko.
But when Wilkinson revealed the other side of his game and found Iain Balshaw with a wonderful cross-kick for a crucial 70th minute try, the game changed.
That was followed by a Mike Catt-inspired first England try for Phil Vickery, and the world’s No 1 ranked side finally edged clear.
But the watching South Africans, who play Samoa in Brisbane next Saturday, must be quaking in their boots.
This was unquestionably the best game of the 2003 World Cup so far, in front of over 50 000 in a non-rugby city where England’s every move was roundly booed.
England captain Martin Johnson admitted: “They were superb, they pushed us all the way.”
Having just witnessed (via live feed in the media centre, the bloody local television channels aren’t bothered about the World Cup) the fascinating battle in Adelaide which saw Ireland edge home against Argentina by one point on Pool A, we were all geared up for a cracker.
I hope you guys back there don’t take your TV coverage for granted. Here, it’s amateur night. The commentary is anodyne, the analysis non-existent. Channel 7’s coverage hit a new low yesterday when former Aussie great Tim Horan said to his old team-mate Chris Latham: “Chris Whitaker, that’s a new Australian record of five tries in one match, how do you feel?”
So they get the names wrong and ask stupid questions. England were soon being asked serious questions by Samoa.
Cape Town’s rugby export Stuart Abbott’s first touch came five seconds in, a pass from Jonny Wilkinson sending him burrowing through the Samoan line. He followed that with a huge hit in the line as Samoa stole possession from the first scrum.
But after just two minutes, England were caught off side and Earl Va’a, the man who I exclusively revealed in Sunday’s People only practises his kicking for an hour a week “because I couldn’t live like Jonny”, stepped up. Va’a, the 31-year-old physical education teacher who stood in for Wilkinson at Newcastle for a month during last year’s autumn internationals, slotted it perfectly to make it 3-0.
Right from the restart, Samoa were at it again, twice breaking through the England line with brutal, surging runs.
And on 5 minutes, 28 seconds, they stretched England perfectly, five players handling the ball before No 8 Semo Sittiti, the captain, scored the first try against England at this World Cup. Va’a made no mistake, 10-0. Uh-oh.
Again, they ran the ball from their own quarter after the restart. England had no answer, finding themselves penalised immediately.
These were comfortably the worst 10 minutes of England’s all-conquering year.
Then England produced their infamous rolling maul, Neil Back carrying the ball as his forwards shoved their way towards the Samoan line. Penalty, and up stepped Jonny Wilkinson.
On Sunday he revealed how he aims at a mythical “Doris” in the stands, rather than simply aiming between the posts. From just under 48 yards, at a slight angle, he missed short and right, his first failure of the tournament, his first since England played Australia here in June, his first in 24 efforts over four games.
Shocking. Where was Doris?
Then Ben Cohen took an enormous hit and Wilko was left on the floor too as the Samoans warmed to their task. England were all at sea. Lost. No game plan. The world’s best side looked like novices.
Ironically two of Samoa’s top professionals, Henry Tuilagi and Trevor Leota are currently in England… they couldn’t afford to leave their Premiership clubs to be here playing for their penniless nation. They didn’t appear to be missed for the first 20 minutes last night.
Remember, there are only 175 000 people in Samoa. That’s about equal to the number of registered players in England, population 58 million.
Yet these tough little men, who go to official functions in fetching blue sarongs, were running the ball from everywhere.
In 1991 and 1999, they beat Wales in Cardiff. They said before this game that reputations would count for nothing, as they went about their prayer meetings and table tennis tournaments.
England, after spending £2,2m (R24,2m) preparing for this tournament, were supposed to be ready for anything. But not this. Awesome tackling, constant running, no messing.
Perhaps all those warnings from Clive Woodward about the standard of these Samoans was genuine. I thought it was all posturing. So did Woodward apparently.
Things went from bad to worse when they gave up possession on their own 10m line and captain Martin Johnson was caught offside – again. Va’a, from fully 42 yards, sent it goalwards and the roof rattled as it hit the post.
That let-off seemed to spur England, with Jason Robinson making a surging run. Wilko crashed a penalty close to the line, out came the rolling maul and over went Back.
The Aussies will whinge about the way England use that weapon but South African referee Jonathan Kaplan saw no problem. Wilko made a difficult conversion and after 25 minutes it was 10-7.
Two minutes later, a big break from a revived Johnson. The Samoans gave away a penalty with hands in the ruck and Wilko levelled the scores from 30 yards. Suddenly the England fans were singing: “Sweet low…” but they knew the Chariot had been rocking badly.
And a clash between Lawrence Dallaglio and Ben Kay from the restart left Kay in some discomfort.
Back and Mike Tindall made a couple of huge tackles as Samoa came roaring back but ref Kaplan had spotted another offside 25 yards out and Va’a was able to put his side back in front at 13-10 after 31 minutes.
England were missing tackles and giving away penalties again – this time hooker Mark Regan was caught with his hands in the till. Va’a landed this one from 45 yards. Thank God he doesn’t practice as much as Jonny.
After 34 minutes England had made 71 tackles, Samoa 40. Then Wilko hit the post with the simplest of penalties from 20 yards. This definitely wasn’t going to plan.
Robinson took a huge hit from Lome Fa’autau as England tried to find a gap in Samoa’s solid Blue line. It ended with a point-blank Wilkinson penalty and Samoa went to the dressing room 16-13 up.
Wilko tried and missed with a long-distance drop goal attempt just seven seconds in to the second half. Then Joe Worsley was penalised needlessly for hanging on in the loose.
Half-time stats revealed England had missed 20 tackles, handed the ball over eight times and conceded six penalties. Samoa were ahead on all fronts.
Only a poor kick ahead from Lome Fa’atau as he sped down the left wing prevented further damage.
The Samoans looked stronger one-on-one, despite the immense physical conditioning of the England players.
Abbott’s first penetrating run ended in a droped ball as Setiti hit him with a huge tackle.
England’s front row, a complete switch from the three who started against South Africa, weren’t enjoying the supremacy we’d expected in the scrums. And locks Kay and Johnson were getting nowhere in the line-out.
England’s backs were worst of all though. Ben Cohen, supposedly our best finisher, was rendered impotent by the big-hitting islanders. Iain Balshaw, Woodward’s personal favourite, was completely anonymous.
Then on came the No ‘s up front: hooker Steve Thompson for Regan, prop Phil Vickery for Jason White and Lewis Moody for Joe Worsley in the 48th minute with Samoa still 16-13 ahead.
After nine phases camped in the Samoan quarter, Cohen failed twice to penetrate. England opted to run the penalty, Abbott was caught short of the line and Thompson’s first pass was wayward.
Nothing was going right for England, but at least they were on top. And when the Samoans collapsed another England scrum as it headed for the line, ref Kaplan awarded a penalty try which was widely booed by the locals. Wilko converted and England were ahead for the first time after 52 minutes, 20-16.
How New Zealand, France and Australia must have loved watching this one as England still failed to take control.
With Back bleeding from the head as normal, Va’a slotted an angled penalty as England clung on 20-19.
At this point, the brave Samoans were supposed to be wilting. But when ‘Raging Bull’ Vickery charged in to them with his fresh legs, he was brought to a grinding halt and conceded the scrum.
Balshaw needed to produce his best tackle of the night to stop Sailosi Tagicakibau breaking clear down the right.
After an hour of ferocious rugby, England were a point ahead and searching for inspiration.
Thompson then put two line-out throws straight in to Samoan arms and the pressure was back on. Va’a’s attempt to land a fifth penalty from near the right touchline the 50,647 crowd erupted as Samoa went back in front, 22-20 with 18 minutes left.
Now the Samoans were starting to look a bit knackered. Cohen finally got clear, breaking 40 yards to mwithing 10 yards of the line. Robinson slipped past two, Balshaw nearly got in, but in the end England resorted to a Wilkinson drop goal to go back in front, 23-22 after 64 minutes.
Painful as it might have been for England fans, the Aussies were loving it. This was the big upset they had been waiting for in a tournament dominated by mismatches.
Robinson broke the line again, but Brian Lima – known as ‘The Chiropractor’ for his ability to break backs – brought him down.
Des Tuiavi’i, the only man in the Samoan side who refuses to cut his flowing hair, worked hard to keep England at bay in the loose. Balshaw cut loose, Cohen battled forward, but the Samoans turned it over yet again.
Then a penalty, 45 yards out. England opted for the line-out. Incredible. But it worked a treat, producing the try of the tournament so far.
From the ruck, Wilko hoisted the ball across field straight in to the hands of he onrushing Balshaw. At last, some magic from the world’s best side – though Wilko surprisingly missed an easy conversion, leaving a chink of light for Samoa.
Then on came Mike Catt for his first international in two years. Ben Kay made a vital line-out steal. Up went another Wilko kick, Catt was on to it. Scrum to England. Down the blind side, testing the tiring Samoans. Back across the field, Robinson, Catt, Dawson, Catt again… and finally Vickery crashes over. Yes! His first Test try. It’s all over. England’s sternest Test.
Wilko landed the conversion, and at 35-22 with five minutes left and all those months of preparation had paid off. There was still time for Wilkinson to take a huge hit in front of his own posts, but he appeared to escape without serious damage.
This was a sizzling Sunday. Ireland holding off the Pumas, England outlasting Samoa.
I can’t wait for them to play the Boks next Saturday in Brisbane.