22 November 2003
Australia 17 - 20 England. A nice birthday present for my mum.
Not the prettiest game — but then, after the rain in Australia, it was never going to be. What it lacked in aesthetic appeal, though, it more than made up in drama, excitement, and passion. No player had a flawless game, with the ball wet and the ground cutting up.
Still, individuals did distinguish themselves. The BBC have provided player ratings, as ever, and as ever, they’re wrong. Matt Dawson played another excellent match behind the scrum, providing decent service, making a nuisance of himself with darting runs, and disrupting Australian ball. I’m not entirely sure what Mat Rogers they were watching, either: surely not the one who caused the England defence trouble with his running, kicked from hand well, and made one superb football-style sliding tackle to deny Will Greenwood a try.
…oh, sod it. Read all about it.
Actually one more thing: just how did New Zealand win team of the year? England have lost once, with a B side, against a full-strength French team, in Marseilles, by one point.