England thrash 14-man USA at Rugby World Cup - Capital Sports
Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

Features

England thrash 14-man USA at Rugby World Cup

England’s prop Dan Cole won his 91st cap
© AFP Filippo MONTEFORTE

KOBE, Japan, Sep 25 – England made it two wins from two at the Rugby World Cup as they scored seven tries during a 45-7 rout of the United States in Kobe on Thursday that saw the Eagles receive the first red card of the tournament.

First-half tries from stand-in captain George Ford, Billy Vunipola and Luke Cowan-Dickie gave England a 19-0 lead at the break before Joe Cokanasiga secured the bonus point early in the second half.

Ruaridh McConnochie and Lewis Ludlam then scored their maiden Test tries before Eagles flanker John Quill was sent off 10 minutes from time for an illegal shoulder charge on replacement back Owen Farrell.

There was still time for Cokanasiga to grab his second try and England’s seventh before Bryce Campbell ensured the USA avoided the embarrassment of being ‘nilled’ with a try after 80 minutes were up.

“Good win again. We had to work for it again. USA very physical, passionate team, so we had to earn that win. I thought we did that pretty well,” said Ford.

England, the 2003 world champions, made 10 changes to the side that beat Tonga 35-3 in their Pool C opener in Sapporo last weekend for what was the USA’s first match of this tournament.

Under the closed roof of the Kobe Misaki Stadium, the Eagles suffered an early setback when, after the opening scrum, 19-year-old prop David Ainu’u limped off injured in the third minute.

And three minutes later England had their first try.

Number eight Vunipola, making his 11th consecutive Test start, ran the ball from deep before Ford, leading England in place of the benched Farrell, spotted a gap in the poorly aligned defence and ran in a try between the posts which he converted.

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.

England, however, again conceded several early penalties before the forwards provided their second try.

Ford, declining a kickable penalty, booted the ball deep for an attacking line-out.

The ensuing rolling maul saw Vunipola driven over in the 25th minute, with Ford converting.

– ‘Pretty awful’ –

England’s prop Dan Cole won his 91st cap
© AFP Filippo MONTEFORTE

 

England’s third try arrived in similar fashion eight minutes later, the Eagles again powerless to resist a rolling maul from a penalty line-out, with hooker Cowan-Dickie scoring his second try in two matches.

Ford’s conversion hit the post but England were still 19-0 in front.

They could have had a bonus point on the stroke of half-time only for centre Jonathan Joseph to knock on in sight of the line.

Early in the second half, Ford failed to set up another attacking line-out when he carelessly kicked a close-range penalty dead.

That mistake prompted the Eagles’ best spell of the match only for England to force a ruck penalty.

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.

Cowan-Dickie’s bonus-point try against Tonga did not arrive until four minutes from time, but England had no such problems in this match.

A quickly taken line-out caught the Eagles napping and, after a fine pass from flanker Tom Curry, Joseph broke clear only to be hauled down a yard short before Ford found Cokanasiga, with the Fiji-born flyer forcing his way over.

Ford again missed the conversion but England were 24-0 ahead.

Eddie Jones, the England coach, then sent on several senior players, including Farrell and scrum-half Ben Youngs.

By coming off the bench, Youngs joined starting prop Dan Cole in winning his 91st England cap as the pair went into joint third place on the national list alongside 2003 hero Jonny Wilkinson.

England crossed the Eagles’ line again in the 58th minute when Joseph found McConnochie.

And against a tiring defence, Ludlam joined McConnochie in scoring a maiden Test try in the 67th minute.

In a tournament where officials have been criticised for failing to implement World Rugby’s directive on dangerous tackles, Australian referee Nic Berry, after consulting the television match official, dismissed Quill for a late hit on Farrell.

The USA next play France in Fukuoka on October 2, while England facing Argentina in Tokyo on October 5.

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.

“It was a pretty awful performance by us tonight,” said USA coach Gary Gold, saying that his team needed to improve “every aspect” of their game.

Advertisement

More on Capital Sports

Football

NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 27 – DStv and GOtv subscribers are in for a treat of the world’s best football this week as the 2020-21...

Football

NAIROBI, Kenya, May 25 – There is light at the end of the tunnel. After failed promises over the last three years since its...

Football

NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 6 – Gentrix Shikangwa scored with two minutes left as Vihiga Queens sailed to the final of the CECAFA regional qualifiers...

NFL

NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 13 – Kenya’s history making Daniel Adongo, the first Kenyan to play in America’s National Football League (NFL), is now living...

© 2024 Capital Digital Media. Capital Group Limited. All Rights Reserved