Jonny Wilkinson gave Australia a painful reminder of his match-winning abilities by kicking England to a 21-20 turnaround victory in the second Test in Sydney yesterday.
A week after being completely outclassed by the Wallabies, England were superb in attack and defense to level the two-Test series.
Both teams scored two tries apiece, but England were far more committed and dominated in both the forwards and the backs.
PHOTO: EPA
Fittingly, it was replacement flyhalf Wilkinson who kicked the winning points, seven years after booting a drop-goal at the same ground to win the 2003 World Cup, but every English player can stand tall after defying the critics.
Newcomers Ben Youngs at scrumhalf and lock Courteney Lawes justified their selections, while the back three of Ben Foden, Mark Cueto and Chris Ashton looked dangerous every time they touched the ball.
■ALL BLACKS 42, WALES 9
REUTERS, DUNEDIN, NEW ZEALAND
Flyhalf Daniel Carter returned to his sparkling best by scoring 27 points in New Zealand’s 42-9 victory over Wales in an emotionally charged match at Carisbrook yesterday.
Carter scored two tries, one from 40m out, as he challenged and taunted defenders, while he slotted 17 points with his boot as he displayed the kind of form that appeared to desert him during the recent Super 14 season.
Keven Mealamu, Cory Jane and Richard Kahui also scored tries for the All Blacks, whose forwards were challenged in the first half, but played at a higher tempo and took advantage as their opponents wilted in the second half.
Wales flyhalf Stephen Jones slotted a drop-goal and a penalty, while Leigh Halfpenny converted a long-range penalty for the visitors, who have not beaten the All Blacks since 1953.
SS Lazio on Monday fired the far-right sympathizer who handles their eagle mascot after he posted online a series of videos and pictures of his erect penis. Falconer Juan Bernabe, who has been present at Lazio home matches with Olimpia the eagle since the 2010-2011 season, posted the footage on social media after having surgery on Saturday to implant a penile prosthesis to improve his sexual performance. Lazio said that they had “terminated, with immediate effect” their relationship with Bernabe “due to the seriousness of his conduct,” adding that they were “shocked” by the images. The Serie A club added that Bernabe’s dismissal
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