Bluey
10-06-2009, 08:31 PM
Wallabies tame Sonny Bill Williams and Baa Baas. The Wallabies thrashed a disjointed Barbarians side to open their international season with a 55-7 victory last night.
Showing some early season rustiness against an even less cohesive Baa Baas, the Australians scored eight tries, with winger Drew Mitchell grabbing a double, to post their biggest victory in 11 games against the invitational side in front of 39,688 fans at the Sydney Football Stadium.
The Wallabies led 20-7 at the break after three first-half tries, before running away with the match, the famous Barbarians' first on Australian soil, in the second 40 minutes.
Man of the match Matt Giteau booted four conversions and a penalty goal on top of a pinpoint kicking game in general play.
Playing his first game in Australian since walking out on NRL club the Bulldogs, Sonny Bill Williams looked dangerous on occasions with his trademark offload and only an amazing tackle from halfback Luke Burgess prevented him scoring with his first touch in international rugby in just the third minute.
But the former NRL superstar was also on the end of plenty of attention from the Australians, most notably from opposite number Stirling Mortlock, who smashed him in a big tackle two minutes later.
Williams also had a hand in the Baa Baas' first-half try, scored by Iain Balshaw on the stroke of halftime.
He was also booed by a small section of the crowd wearing blue and white when he cleaned up by a Lachie Turner grubber in the second half.
The Wallabies have injury concerns over Burgess hip and Matt Hodgson, who left the field in the first half of his first game for Australia with an AC joint problem.
Robbed of Australian star Rocky Elsom, who withdrew with a leg injury on match day, the thrown-together Barbarians attempted to play with their trademark flair but predictably struggled for combination and pace.
The Wallabies opened their scoring through James Horwill in the sixth minute, before Mitchell got his first in the 16th and Giteau dummied twice and strolled over untouched in the 23rd.
Their attack lost some momentum until the 57th minute, when hooker Stephen Moore finished some good work from George Smith and Josh Valentine to push the floodgates open.
Prop Ben Alexander strode over in the 66th minute, Mitchell got his second in the 72nd, while David Pocock and James O'Connor bagged tries in the final three minutes.
Australia take home the new Sir Nicholas Shehadie Cup with the win.
:)
Showing some early season rustiness against an even less cohesive Baa Baas, the Australians scored eight tries, with winger Drew Mitchell grabbing a double, to post their biggest victory in 11 games against the invitational side in front of 39,688 fans at the Sydney Football Stadium.
The Wallabies led 20-7 at the break after three first-half tries, before running away with the match, the famous Barbarians' first on Australian soil, in the second 40 minutes.
Man of the match Matt Giteau booted four conversions and a penalty goal on top of a pinpoint kicking game in general play.
Playing his first game in Australian since walking out on NRL club the Bulldogs, Sonny Bill Williams looked dangerous on occasions with his trademark offload and only an amazing tackle from halfback Luke Burgess prevented him scoring with his first touch in international rugby in just the third minute.
But the former NRL superstar was also on the end of plenty of attention from the Australians, most notably from opposite number Stirling Mortlock, who smashed him in a big tackle two minutes later.
Williams also had a hand in the Baa Baas' first-half try, scored by Iain Balshaw on the stroke of halftime.
He was also booed by a small section of the crowd wearing blue and white when he cleaned up by a Lachie Turner grubber in the second half.
The Wallabies have injury concerns over Burgess hip and Matt Hodgson, who left the field in the first half of his first game for Australia with an AC joint problem.
Robbed of Australian star Rocky Elsom, who withdrew with a leg injury on match day, the thrown-together Barbarians attempted to play with their trademark flair but predictably struggled for combination and pace.
The Wallabies opened their scoring through James Horwill in the sixth minute, before Mitchell got his first in the 16th and Giteau dummied twice and strolled over untouched in the 23rd.
Their attack lost some momentum until the 57th minute, when hooker Stephen Moore finished some good work from George Smith and Josh Valentine to push the floodgates open.
Prop Ben Alexander strode over in the 66th minute, Mitchell got his second in the 72nd, while David Pocock and James O'Connor bagged tries in the final three minutes.
Australia take home the new Sir Nicholas Shehadie Cup with the win.
:)