Ashton breaks Scottish hearts

Ashton breaks Scottish hearts

1 Oct 2011

Chris Ashton scored a late try to give England a 16-12 win against Scotland in Auckland.

With three minutes remaining, England put a kickable penalty into touch and won the lineout. Their forwards set up the driving maul, before the ball was sent wide to replacement flyhalf Toby Flood, whose perfectly-timed double-skip pass put Ashton over in the right-hand corner.

It was a heart-breaking moment for the Scots, who had needed to win this game by eight points or more and deny England a bonus point in order to leapfrog their arch-rivals on the Pool C log. They now need Georgia to upset Argentina on Sunday, which is unlikely.

There may have only been one try, but this was a gripping encounter.

Scotland suffered an early setback when flyhalf Ruaridh Jackson limped off with a hamstring injury, but it proved to be a blessing. The kicking game of his replacement, Dan Parks, was ideal for the wet and windy conditions and he controlled the game well.

It was Parks who kicked a long-range penalty into the wind to give Scotland a 6-0 lead, following an earlier strike from Chris Paterson.

Jonny Wilkinson came into this match with a 50% goal-kicking success rate in the tournament and missed his first three penalty attempts. He finally found the target with his fourth, but a Parks drop goal gave Scotland a 9-3 lead at the break.

The Scots dominated the set pieces in the first half, winning four scrums against the feed (with Euan Murray embarrassing Matt Stevens) and stealing three opposition lineout throws. They also didn’t miss a single tackle in 40 minutes, while England slipped six.

When the second half kicked off, the wind had dropped and the rain had stopped. England played with a lot more urgency and their pack regained some confidence when they won a tighthead with a solid hit.

The Scots, though, briefly regained the ascendancy and almost scored when left wing Simon Danielli kicked into the England 22. Fullback Ben Foden knocked the ball back and Scotland replacement Nick de Luca failed to collect it with the tryline in sight.

Scotland then won yet another scrum penalty, which Paterson kicked to make it 12-3, but they crucially failed to deal with the restart and Wilkinson slotted a drop goal with his right foot (having missed one with his left from in front earlier in the half).

The England flyhalf added a penalty at the start of the final quarter to reduce the deficit to three, but his following attempt fell short.

It didn’t matter, though, as Ashton’s try snatched the win and set up an England-France quarter-final.

By Simon Borchardt

Follow Simon on Twitter


340 Comments

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  • 1.Transformation: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 09:02 am

    poms vs joks dragons

  • 2.JockBok: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 09:25 am

    No cheering or shouting, no caps lock, no bold text….

    David Sole walking up the tunnel in 1990.

    Determination. A job needing done. The time for action.

  • 3.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 09:25 am

    The enemy of my enemy is my Famous Grouse.

  • 4.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 09:27 am

    I don’t think I can watch this!

    Am already teary eyed

  • 5.reechie maak so lank die pan warm, bakkies bring die wors...: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 09:29 am

    hope the english lose.
    such tossers…

  • 6.Transformation: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 09:29 am

    @Dawn(Dawn)-4: what’s with you and Scots pocahontas?

  • 7.Guns: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 09:29 am

    Scotts have been really Shiyte this RWC. England to take it.

    But on another note – GO SCOTLAND!!!

  • 8.Tartan: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 09:31 am

    don’t care how **** we are, there’s always a chance against this mob.

  • 9.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 09:34 am

    Trans.

    They make whisky.

    End of!

  • 10.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 09:36 am

    They can toss cabers and anthem always gets me in my heart.

  • 11.David: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 09:37 am

    @Dawn(Dawn)-9:
    So does Japan.

  • 12.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 09:38 am

    OMG there goes Ruaridh.

    Am going shopping.

  • 13.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 09:39 am

    Lamont is hot.

  • 14.>^..^< katman: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 09:42 am

    Croft having a shocker so far. Long may it continue.

  • 15.Heavens Game: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 09:44 am

    Skirtsy Jockbok must be on his 4th or 5th breakfast tipple by now

  • 16.JockBok: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 09:46 am

    @Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-15:

    2nd packet of lights…

  • 17.Auntie Mavis: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 09:47 am

    Good referee, penalising Poms

  • 18.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 09:47 am

    Ffuck.

  • 19.Heavens Game: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 09:48 am

    England getting poesklapped by Joubert at scrumtime

  • 20.chch: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 09:48 am

    Same old England, always cheating

  • 21.Heavens Game: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 09:48 am

    @JockBok(JockBok)-16: :lol:

  • 22.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 09:49 am

    Oh yay!!!!!!

  • 23.Gunther: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 09:49 am

    @JockBok(JockBok)-16:

    Must be the unreliable electricity supply there.

  • 24.Heavens Game: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 09:50 am

    Slomo confirms over. Scots 6 up… Jockie just choofed a ciggie in one breath…

  • 25.JockBok: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 09:51 am

    @Gunther(gunther)-23:

    On a generator 80% of the time

    @Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-24:

    :D

  • 26.Gunther: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 09:54 am

    @chch(chch)-20:

    indeed.

    they remind me of the Ball Sacks.

    when England play in Black it’s almost impossible to tell them apart.

    especially now that they also import samoans.

  • 27.carol: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 09:55 am

    Morning All….

    @reechie maak so lank die pan warm, bakkies bring die wors…(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)-5:

    Takes one to know one..!! Grow up!

  • 28.>^..^< katman: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 09:56 am

    Is Youngs seriously the best scrumhalf on that soggy, crowded island?

  • 29.chch: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 09:58 am

    @Gunther(gunther)-26:

    What a sad twisted fork you are

  • 30.JockBok: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 09:58 am

    @>^..^< katman(katman)-28:

    No, Mike Blair is ;)

  • 31.Heavens Game: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 09:58 am

    @>^..^< katman(katman)-28: Yes, for England, by a distance. Remember that Philips is also from the soggy, crowded island too.

  • 32.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 09:58 am

    I need a tranquiliser

  • 33.NoRugbyGuru_0_: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 09:58 am

    England playing like shiit, no rhythm to their game. They look like they waiting for someone to create a “spark” before something happens.

    Much like the stormers couple of years ago…

    GO SCOTLAND !!!

  • 34.carol: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 09:59 am

    @JockBok(JockBok)-25:
    Hope you enjoyed your porage….

    Enjoy the lead, it won’t last for long!! ;-)

  • 35.Puma: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 09:59 am

    GO SCOTLAND GO.

  • 36.>^..^< katman: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 10:00 am

    @JockBok(JockBok)-30: @Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-31: Okay, let me rephrase that: the soggy island, sans northern and western extremities.

  • 37.Heavens Game: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 10:00 am

    Parks on fire

  • 38.chch: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 10:01 am

    Can Scotland play like this for 50 more mins or at least till they have the wind behind them

  • 39.JockBok: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 10:02 am

    Faking Parks, knew he’d start this shiit

    @carol(carol)-34:

    Good luck Carol. Hope you’re stalked up on the kleenex’s ;)

  • 40.carol: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 10:02 am

    @Puma(Puma)-35:

    Blimey, now I am completley out numbered!!

    COME ON E N G L A N D…. ;-)

    Morning Puma, we have not chatted for ages!

  • 41.Gunther: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 10:02 am

    Wilko’s internal gyroscope malfunctioning.

    England are phucked without those dudes who come on and give them special balls to kick with.

    @carol(carol)-27:

    quite right.

    you tell the little whippersnapper.

  • 42.chch: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 10:03 am

    That guy looked very much in front of the kicker

  • 43.chch: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 10:04 am

    didn’t Patterson knock on?

  • 44.Auntie Mavis: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 10:05 am

    Not exactly sophisticated rugby

  • 45.RL: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 10:05 am

    @chch(chch)-38: their only hope to avoid an early flight home is to beat the Poms and deny them a bonus point, then it will be England going home … very unlikely.

  • 46.JockBok: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 10:06 am

    @chch(chch)-43:

    Joubert’s confused by the blue shirts, he thought Patterson was a Bulls player ;)

  • 47.Auntie Mavis: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 10:07 am

    6-3, a very pommy score

  • 48.Guns: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 10:07 am

    Took a while Johny old chap..

  • 49.>^..^< katman: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 10:07 am

    Ashton is going to get donnered before this World cup is over.

  • 50.>^..^< katman: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 10:08 am

    The Scots are up for a fight.

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