Wallabies Tsunami wipes out Japan...

Like a Tsunami, it started slow and built up to crash down on a hapless Japanese outfit with a supreme second half effort....

George Gregan Australia has opened its 2007 Rugby World Cup campaign with a comprehensive 91-3 demolition of Japan at Gerland Stadium in Lyon on Saturday night.

The Wallabies blew out the cobwebs in their first Test in seven weeks by running in 14 tries, with flanker Rocky Elsom picking up three and Berrick Barnes scoring two tries on his Test debut.

Australia only led 23-3 at half-time but found its rhythm in the second half to cut the brave but outclassed Cherry Blossoms apart in an impressive display.

However, there remains some question marks over the Wallabies scrum with referee Alan Lewis disciplining props Al Baxter and Matt Dunning over their scrummaging techniques. Another concern was reserve winger Mark Gerrard, who limped off late in the match with what looked like an ankle injury.

Australia controlled the attack from the outset but showed some rustiness in the opening exchanges and had to settle for two penalty goals from skipper Stirling Mortlock in the 10th and 17th minute for an early 6-0 lead.

It was left to Nathan Sharpe to score Australia's first try of their campaign in the 24th minute. The Wallabies secured lineout ball on Japan's 22 and worked a rolling maul diligently to the tryline for the big lock to dive over out wide.

A bullocking run from Mortlock put the Wallabies on the attack again just a few minutes later and a sublime inside pass from Stephen Larkham put Elsom into a gap and he raced away for Australia's second.

The Wallabies were in again when a bullet-like cut-out pass from Chris Latham found Elsom unmarked on the wing and he dived over in the corner for his second try. Mortlock swung his conversion away to the left to leave the score at 23-0.

Japan got on the board just before half-time when young flyhalf Ono kicked a 40-metre penalty after Mortlock was pinged for tackling a player not in possession of the ball.

Australia led 23-3 at the break.

The Wallabies started the second half in blistering fashion with Elsom cutting through the Japanese defence in the middle of the park to gallop away for his third try of the afternoon. Mortlock added the extras to make it 30-3.


Australia was in again a few minutes later when Sharpe burst into space down the left flank before turning the ball back inside for George Gregan and then winger Adam Ashley-Cooper, who dotted down under the posts.

With the game well in hand, Hugh McMeninan and Guy Shepherdson were brought on for Dan Vickerman and Al Baxter respectively and just a few minutes later fullback Chris Latham celebrated his 32nd birthday when he worked a pick 'n' go to dive over from a metre out.

Reserve flyhalf Barnes scored with almost his first touch of the ball when Gregan danced through the Japanese defence before sending the Wallabies youngest squad member on a saloon passage to the line.

Just a minute later, Drew Mitchell, who had just replaced Ashley-Cooper scooted down the left flank for his first try as the Japanese defence showed

George Smith showed great technique to effect a tackle on the Japanese flyhalf, rip the ball and then scamper 22 metres to score Australia's tenth try.

Latham picked up his second when he scored a classic 70-metre chip-and-chase on the counter with Mitchell and Barnes doubling their contribution after smooth backline plays.

Reserve hooker Adam Freier capped an impressive afternoon when he tunneled his way over right on full-time.

Australia 91
Tries: Elsom 3, Mitchell 2, Latham 2, Barnes 2, Sharpe, Ashley-Cooper, Latham, Smith, Freier
Conversions: Mortlock 9/12, Giteau 2/2
Penalties: Mortlock 2/2

Japan 3
Penalties: Ono 1/1


Wallabies wallop Japanese in opener
Story by Sportal for the ARU
Sunday, September 09, 2007 - 01:43 AM (AEST)

Quietly impressed with everything except the scrum.
Baxter and Dunning...enough said :angry:
What I liked with the backs was much of their go forward was from using the ball and changing the angles rather than just brute strength and that can be applied to any opposition.
Some beautiful touches from Larkham, massive kicks from Latham and hands up all who have previously bagged Gregan!
Just a factual spotto in the Sportal article above, I believe McMeniman replaced Sharpey rather than Vickerman.
Our fearless leader played a blinder I reckon and would have been a close second to deserved MOM Rocky.
On the two consecutive matches I reckon Japan would have given Italy a run for their money.

Just in:

Wallabies winger Mark Gerrard will miss the rest of the World Cup after rupturing the medial knee ligament in his left knee during Australia’s 91-3 annihilation of Japan in Lyon.

What I liked was every one of our trys was a structured effort and they just kept building on the score...

as opposed to the NZ / Italy game which had NZ while flashy the trys were opportunistic and mostly came from mistakes and then they got bogged down in the second half..

Well the second half was a heap better than the first half that's for sure for the Wallabies. After just watching the AB's play Italy and put 31 points on them in the first quarter, it kind of hurt a little to see the Wallabies tryless until about 15 mins in. But at least it started raining tries after that. :)

I agree Gerry... Wallabies looked more like a team whereas the AB's relied a little bit more on individual brilliance and lucky breaks.

I still think we have way to go though if we're going to take the whole thing out. A bit of fine tuning and we should really look the goods. :approve:

I fell asleep early in the 2nd half....all i heard after I crawled into bed when Jason changed Ben's nappy was something about Barnes getting a try on debut. However I did spot a Western Force Cap in the crowd during the national anthem.

yeah...saw that too AS

I actually thought Matt Dunning had a fairly solid performance and his work rate was impressive. I am now officailly a Matt Dunning convert.

I must admit the Wallabies do look like a team that is operating well together and getting stronger with every game played. Exciting stuff!

Well done to Barnes, great first test and well done to all the lads.

Dunning looked to panic a bit when he was running for the try-line, ball in hand, no-one in front of him :lol:

Good on the Japanese for not folding completely, but they certainly seemed to be lacking a bit of fitness.

Wales in Cardiff will be a different sort of match entirely.

I don't mind the rest of Dunnings game TEF, certainly far better than Trestle, but last night against a light weight scrum they were both left looking for excuses for not being able to hold it up.
The All Black's or Springbok's would have monstered the Japanese Front Row, quite legally that is, and spat out the legs.
From the Squad we have there, if we can't get #1 Holmes, #3 Shepherdson and #17 Dunning then we may as well pack up and go home after the Pool Matches.
The ultimate was Trestle suggesting the ground was slipping so the scrum moved 5m to his left. It slipped again so it was moved back 5m to his right. "Strangely", under the threat of a penalty if he failed, the scrum worked quite well on the second visit to the original spot.
Dunning consistently misses his left arm bind and can't hold his own share of the weight and Trestle, well he isn't even a Sydney Club Prop, how on Earth he has been persisted with this long I will never understand or accept.

I'm with Burgs on the scrum. I have no idea why Dunning is in the Wallabies. If for no other reason i don't understand how he can possibly run around the field when he has to look like the most out of shape person i've ever seen....plus i'm still fuming about his stupid antics with Tuqiri...but that aside and more on the rugby front I think he lacks versatility in his game which allows you to adapt your body position to the strategies employed by your opponents. You're right Burgs...NZ would dominate him.

On another note i was less than impressed with our centres. Don't get me wrong i love Gits and he certainly was a good middle man on many occasions. But I feel he lacked and firepower, as did Stirling. Latham played well and the fresh recruits in Mitchell and Barnes did wonders for the game. But explain to me why so many of our tries were scored by forwards?? I felt like they carried us in so many ways.

Was really pleased for Barnes, Mitchell and Latham. I thought they played brilliantly. I'm glad Rocky proved Eddie Jones to be a moron. And i have to say, i'm quite glad Tuiqiri never crossed that line or hammered his opposing winger....may just remind him he plays a team game...he could probably learn a lesson from Gits, Greegs and Larkham in that respect...


Oh and though the ref was really good too

I was quite impressed with the Japanese in the first half.

They actually played some good football and that little left winger of theirs is damned quick. It's a bit of a shame that they didnt send out a full team against us preferring to hold back some of their guys for the Fiji match.

Their pack is still a little on the light side, but they are getting there. Maybe they need to get in a couple of 500lb sumo wrestlers in there (I heard during the broadcast that one of their front row used to be a schoolboy sumo or something to that effect). I suppose that they are very lucky that our front row is so crap otherwise they would have been, as suggested, monstered.

Our back really clicked and all around it was a good effort from them. Loti was constantly cutting into the midfield and pulling 2-3 japanese defenders which left room out on the wing which Rocky used to great effect for his first try. It could be that knuckles has recognised this and has setup a system to use it to best effect.

As for Rocky, he was an absolute dynamo in the match and really deserved his hattrick. Best forward on the pitch. Sharpe just monstered through tackles and used his height and weight to the best effect hitting the line at pace and pulling in the defence.

Apart from our continued front row problems, I would have to score Australia a 7.5/10 for the team effort.

Anyone else watching the Fox coverage get tired of the commentators saying 'gragen' and 'lathm'?

Fox is far better than the junior commentators over at Channel 10 and you get a more balanced commentary of the game, ie not Wallaby tunnell vison.
Ive enjoyed most of the games covered so far. Bring back Gordon Bray!

Yeah the standard of the calling was top notch... just some of the pronounciations were a bit off for one of them...

If he struggled with the Aussie names goodness knows what'll happen when he calls for one of the African nations or the Pacific Islands...

Oh dear.