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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  • 51.Auntie Mavis: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 10:08 am

    Armitage is playing well

  • 52.chch: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 10:08 am

    @RL(RL)-45:

    Not their only hope. They can win by less than 8 and score 4 tries while England spend their time kicking.

  • 53.Tacitus: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 10:10 am

    What’s Woody Harrelson doing in the Scotland coaching box?

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

    Why is the scrum nowhere near where the knock on was?

  • 55.>^..^< katman: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 10:11 am

    @Tacitus(Deucalion)-53: Working the bar?

  • 56.>^..^< katman: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 10:12 am

    Is Tindall’s nose a money issue?

  • 57.Heavens Game: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 10:12 am

    Scots are winning the front row battle

  • 58.Tacitus: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 10:13 am

    Its his twin brother, Woody Townsend.

  • 59.Heavens Game: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 10:13 am

    Murray introduced Stevens to his nought

  • 60.Guns: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 10:14 am

    Parks slots the Drop!

  • 61.chch: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 10:14 am

    wow, nice half into the wind

  • 62.Auntie Mavis: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 10:14 am

    and 9-3 is a very pommy score too

  • 63.Heavens Game: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 10:15 am

    Ho ho ho… Scots on fire… cant score a try for anything though

  • 64.NoRugbyGuru_0_: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 10:16 am

    Only one team in the 1st half, scotland dominating all facits of play.

    England cannot be serious about winning WC when they play like this.

  • 65.RL: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 10:18 am

    If the Jocks score a try, hold their dicipline and keep the Poms scoreless then bye bye Poms.

  • 66.Heavens Game: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 10:18 am

    @chch(chch)-61: Scots playing into the wind?

  • 67.>^..^< katman: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 10:19 am

    They could have used Sheridan.

    And perhaps even that Leicester nutter, Julian White.

  • 68.JockBok: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 10:19 am

    @Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-63:

    Parks touch finders and tactical kicks are excellent, but the ball rarely goes past him when we are in the oppo 22.

  • 69.David: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 10:20 am

    @NoRugbyGuru_0_(RugbyGuru_0_)-64:
    They came pretty close in 2007 after being hammered by SA in the pool game.

  • 70.NoRugbyGuru_0_: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 10:20 am

    Mike tindall must be the fattest and slowest inside centre I’ve ever seen

    Farking fat vark ;-)

  • 71.Tartan: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 10:21 am

    @JockBok(JockBok)-68:
    We had to play Parks, a gentleman’s agreement for Tindall staying on for them.

    That’s got to be it, right?

  • 72.>^..^< katman: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 10:21 am

    @NoRugbyGuru_0_(RugbyGuru_0_)-70: How quickly you forget the Bulls centres of a few seasons back. JP Nel? Dries Scholtz?

  • 73.David: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 10:22 am

    @RL(RL)-65:
    In other words, if Scotland score and England don’t, the Scots win? :lol”

  • 74.NoRugbyGuru_0_: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 10:22 am

    I guess being royal tindall eats all the best things… Die pap is dik ;-)

  • 75.chch: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 10:24 am

    @RL(RL)-65:

    Only if Argentina also score 4 tries in their final game

  • 76.Heavens Game: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 10:24 am

    @JockBok(JockBok)-68: Yeah, but he is playing very well. If the Scots were playing into the wind then 9-3 is a decent score.

    Scots will need a try to put England away though.

  • 77.NoRugbyGuru_0_: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 10:24 am

    Jp nel played outside centre and dries was pretty good back then. The game evolved since the 1990′s and in 2011 you need someone that can distribute the ball and step well

  • 78.poppa69: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 10:25 am

    F knows why the quota coach played F Steyn against Samoa!

  • 79.Gunther: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 10:25 am

    @>^..^< katman(katman)-67:

    Sheridan is broken.

    All the kings horses and all the kings men are doing their best.

  • 80.chch: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 10:26 am

    Annie will be lying in bad with his brother watching that

  • 81.chch: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 10:27 am

    @chch(chch)-80: bed

  • 82.>^..^< katman: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 10:28 am

    @Gunther(gunther)-79: I see. That explains Humpty Dumpty at hooker.

  • 83.Heavens Game: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 10:28 am

    Yup, Scots have wind behind them. Parks will be kicking to corners

  • 84.NoRugbyGuru_0_: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 10:28 am

    And the young man will be heading towards one of NZ finest brothels ;-)

  • 85.Gunther: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 10:29 am

    @chch(chch)-29:

    silly chc.

    if you want to hand out the cheating cheese nibbles you have to be prepared to have a few mouthfulls yourself.

    nom nom nom.

    like any decent host.

    good chap.

  • 86.David: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 10:30 am

    @chch(chch)-80:
    Nah, she’s english, not a Kiwi. :lol:

  • 87.RL: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 10:31 am

    @chch(chch)-75: Argies will need 5 points for sure. :razz:

  • 88.chch: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 10:31 am

    @NoRugbyGuru_0_(RugbyGuru_0_)-84:

    With Mike Tindall

  • 89.Heavens Game: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 10:31 am

    That Jacobson is a funny little bu.gger.

  • 90.>^..^< katman: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 10:32 am

    The fat little Jock just bent the bearded fella like a pretzel.

  • 91.Gunther: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 10:33 am

    @>^..^< katman(katman)-82:

    actually that chap at 2 is Humpty’s waxwork double from Madame Tussauds.

    That’s why they are playing this game in New Zealand at night.

    If ambient temperature goes above 12 degrees he gets horribly exposed.

  • 92.NoRugbyGuru_0_: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 10:35 am

    England have odd hobbys with prossies, cage fighting and dwarf throwing ;-)

  • 93.cane: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 10:35 am

    @Gunther(gunther)-91:

    So fuckkers like you don’t have to stay awake untill 4.00A.M

    8)

  • 94.>^..^< katman: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 10:35 am

    @Gunther(gunther)-91: And then all England’s carthorses and cartmen wouldn’t put him together again.

  • 95.chch: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 10:35 am

    England look very dangerous on the wings and the Scottish covering looks dodgy.

    Luck is on Scotland’s side for now

  • 96.cane: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 10:36 am

    Go Jocks.

  • 97.chch: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 10:39 am

    They were not on their feet. That was planking if I ever saw it

  • 98.David: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 10:39 am

    Wilkinson not having a great game at all.

  • 99.RL: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 10:40 am

    @cane(cane)-96: so Cater and McCheat are the walking wounded … pray that you do not get these Jocks in the QF. :cool:

  • 100.Heavens Game: Reply to this comment
    1 Oct 2011, 10:40 am

    The Scots have a passing problem. They over elaborate the flip pass…

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