Flyhalf Jonny Wilkinson kicked a dropped goal with seconds left in extra time on Saturday to give England a 20-17 win over Australia in the Rugby World Cup final.
It came one minute after Australian centre Elton Flatley had levelled the score at 17-17 with a penalty goal. Flatley and Wilkinson kicked four penalty goals each in the match.
The match was sent into two sessions of 10-minute extra time when Flatley kicked a penalty goal with less than 10 seconds left in regulation to level the score at 14-14.
The win by England is the first by a northern hemisphere team in the World Cup. New Zealand won the inaugural World Cup in 1987, Australia in 1991 and 1999 and South Africa in 1995.
It was defending champions Australia’s first World Cup loss since the quarterfinals of the 1995 tournament, while England extended their winning streak over Australia to five matches.
England led Australia 14-5 at halftime on Wilkinson’s three penalty goals and a late try to winger Jason Robinson, but were held scoreless in the second half of regulation.
Australia took an early lead when winger Lote Tuqiri scored an unconverted try after taking a Stephen Larkham bomb in the sixth minute but Wilkinson came back with penalty goals in the 12th, 20th and 28th minutes.
Robinson’s unconverted try came with two minutes left in the half in rainy and slippery conditions.
Australia had the best scoring chance early when fullback Mat Rogers, open on the right side and with some running room, threw a pass to Tuqiri, but the pass was off the mark and went into touch.
In the second half, Flatley brought Australia back to within six points with a penalty goal in the 48th minute, but his 45m attempt in the 54th minute fell just short.
Flatley pulled Australia to within three points in the 61st minute with his second penalty goal of the night. An attempted dropped goal by Wilkinson with eight minutes left went just right of the uprights before Flatley levelled the game in the final minute of regulation. — Sapa-AP
Scores:
England 20 (Jason Robinson try, Jonny Wilkinson four penalty goals, dropped goal)
def. Australia 17 (Lote Tuqiri try, Elton Flatley four penalty goals)
Bloody hell!