Australia inflicted a record 52-4 defeat on England to become unbackable favorites to carry off their seventh straight rugby league World Cup yesterday.
The Kangaroos put the feeble English to the sword, scoring nine tries to one and pulled away with 30 points in the second half after leading 22-4 at half-time.
The Australians, bidding for their 10th World Cup crown overall, have now crushed both their two major title rivals following their 30-6 romp over New Zealand last weekend.
It was a sobering night for England, who crashed to their heaviest World Cup defeat, plunging to new depths after their previous 49-6 lowpoint to New Zealand in the semi-finals of the last tournament eight years ago in England.
The Australians were spearheaded by dazzling Melbourne Storm pair, fullback Billy Slater and centre Greg Inglis, who both finished with a hattrick of tries, while backrower Anthony Laffranchi scored a double and winger Joel Monaghan claimed the other.
Scott Prince, who deputized for injured scrum-half Jonathan Thurston, finished with eight goals from 10 attempts.
The Kangaroos looked in a different class to England, particularly in the backline, where skipper Darren Lockyer called the shots at standoff and Inglis and Slater were unstoppable before a 36,000 home-town crowd.
The pair combined for an exhilarating 100m try midway through the second half, Inglis collecting an England grubber kick on his own goaline before finding Slater, who turned winger Mark Calderwood inside out in his zig-zig sprint to the try-line.
Such was Australia’s dominance that coach Ricky Stuart could afford to give his skipper Lockyer a 23-minute early mark with the Brisbane Bronco champion immediately putting an ice wrap around his strained biceps as a precaution.
England’s best moments were midway through the opening half with St Helens hooker James Roby getting the benefit of the doubt from the video referee for a try under a mass of Australian defenders in the 18th minute.
That was as good as it got with England’s dreadful night summed up when fullback Paul Wellens — just minutes from the half-time break — allowed a kick to roll over the dead ball line without a defender in sight.
Unfortunately for Wellens the ball had been touched in flight off Cameron Smith’s boot by another Englishman. Laffranchi crashed over from the ensuing drop-out to put Australia well in command at half-time.
The win all but assures the Kangaroos of the top spot heading into the semi-finals, provided there is no monumental upset against Papua New Guinea in Townsville on Sunday.
England must now regroup for their remaining pool game against New Zealand in Newcastle on Saturday, with both expected to play in the semi-finals.
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