Australia do enough against dour England

Australia have done enough to put themselves in the Four Nations final to face New Zealand, defeating England 34-14.

Australia put on some early pressure with a repeat set then Brett Morris combined with Brent Tate for a penalty. This set up for Luke Lewis to find a gaping hole to score. Cameron Smith has no problems and makes it 6-0.

England would hit back quickly, off a penalty a face ball for Burgess see's him score right under the posts. Westwood converts to make it level again. A high shot from Gallen allowed England to go ahead by two points (8-6).

The rest of the half belonged to Australia with Luke Lewis getting his second off a Lockyer kick, Brent Tate scoring a dubious try where it looked like he had bounced the ball. The last came off a bounce pass from Watmough which put Lewis into a yawming gap again but he graciously passes to Tonga who scores and makes the score 26-8 at halftime.

Luke Robinson gave England a sniff of a comeback when he weaved his way through several defenders to score under the sticks. Cudjoe converted to bring the score to 26-14. Australia hit back with some razzle dazzle play from Learoyd-Lars, Cronk and Tuiqiri who scores in the corner to build the lead again when Smith who learnt from his last two conversions out wide to swing this one in making it 32-14.

After the game would degenerate with Australia taking a penalty ten metres out to end the scoring 34-14. Both sides would meander to full-time, England couldn't win and Australia were already through to the final against New Zealand, making next weeks game a dead rubber.

Match Details
Australia 34 defeated England 14
International - Four Nations: Week Two - Sunday October 31, 2010 6:30pm
Venue: AAMI Park, Melbourne
Referee: Tony Archer (AU)
Video Referee: Steve Clark (AU)
Touch Judges: James Childs (ENG) and Daniel Caddy (NZ)
Crowd: 18,894
Halftime: Australia 26 England 8

Leagueunlimited.com players of the match:
3 Points - Luke Lewis (2 Tries)
2 Points - David Shillington
1 Point - Luke Robinson (1 Try)

Australia (34)
Tries: Billy Slater, Luke Lewis (2), Brent Tate, Willie Tonga, Lote Tuqiri
Conversions: Cameron Smith (4/6)
Penalty Goals: Cameron Smith (1/1)

England (14)
Tries: Sam Burgess, Luke Robinson
Conversions: Ben Westwood (1/1), Leroy Cudjoe (1/1)
Penalty Goals: Ben Westwood (1/1)

LeagueUnlimited.com Live Commentary Welcome to AAMI Park in Melbourne for the do or die clash for England when they take on a star studded Australian team. Australia have no changes, with England making three personell changes and shuffling the decks in the line-up.
The three new players for England are Leroy Cudjoe, Luke Robinson and a name which will be making a few commentators nervous Shaun Lunt.
Both teams are out on the field and we'll hav the anthems then kick-off.
1 min: Here we go! Do or die tonight for England if they lose, their game will only be a consolation against Papua New Guinea. Cameron Smith has the ball and kicks us off.
2 min: Paul Gallen does well and milks Australia's first penalty for the game.
3 min: A stabbing kick fro Cronk forces Tomkins to take the ball dead and drop it out.
Australia could have their first try, checking if Brent Tate is taken without the ball.
4 min: It's a no try but it'll be a penalty for taking Brent Tate without the ball.
6 min: TRY
The defensive pressure tolls on the English early. Luke Lewis finds a gaping hole and just charges through to score. Smith has no troubles with the conversion.
Australia 6-0
8 min: Civoniceva doesn't get off the player quick enough for Archer's liking and it's penalised.
10 min: TRY
England have hit right back. A great face ball to Sam Burgess to score under the sticks. Westwood has no troubles from besides the sticks.
6 all
12 min: An easy piggyback from England here, with a penalty.
14 min: Australia will have to absorb another set of six from a high shot from Gallen, maybe not they've decided for a shot for at goal.
15 min: PENALTY GOAL
Ben Westwood puts it through no problems.
England 8-6
16 min: A poor last tackle option from Australia there with Paul Gallen kicking but they get some relief with a knock on fro England.
18 min: Australia could have their second try, checking a knock on.
19 min: TRY
A nice flighted kick from Lockyer is missed by two chasers but Luke Lewis is on hand to slam it down for Australia's second. Smith from in front, doesn't miss.
Australia 12-8
21 min: Bad mistake from dummy-half from Roby, trying to pick up the ball too fast.
23 min: That error will hurt, checking an Australian knock on but I didn't see one. This should be a try to Billy Slater.
24 min: TRY
Darren Lockyer miscues a kick to the wing, with the English winger Briscoe dropping it cold for Billy Slater to swoop in and score. Smith misses his first for the night.
Australia 16-8
25 min: Dangerous position there as Sam Tomkins is mauled by the Australian defence. Penalty England.
27 min: England have lost it again but Brent Tate might have a try, it looks like he's bounced it.
29 min: TRY
Wow they've given the try, I thought he bounced that. Anyway Brent Tate takes it himself and scores. Cameron Smith pushes it the other side this time.
Australia 20-8
30 min: Penalty to Australia, English players not back the ten.
32 min: TRY
Beware the bouncing ball, Watmough's pass hits the ground. Luke Lewis scopes it up and has a wide open tryline but graciously passes to Willie Tonga. Smith puts this one right through the posts.
Australia 26-8
33 min: Anthony Watmough tries to play it too fast and drops it cold. Chance for England to get some ball.
35 min: Cudjoe is away but he's called back for a line ball forward pass.
37 min: Some harlem globetrotter stuff from the Aussies on last but a flick pass from Lockyer is forward.
38 min: England surprise surprise drop the ball.
39 min: Brent Tate leaps for the ball but he's knocked it forward.
40 min: England tries a chip kick right near halftime but like a lot of things they've tried this half it failed. Some fumbling around and it's halftime.
41 min: Here come the teams for the second half, Leroy Cudjoe will get us underway.
42 min: Aussies pinged for offside, the whole line was offside. England a big chance to try and stage a comeback.
44 min: TRY
Luke Robinson throws several dummies which fools several Australian players and he scores. Cudjoe slams it through the posts.
Australia 26-14
46 min: Some razzle dazzle fro England but they go one pass too many, allowing Morris and Slater to push an English player into touch.
48 min: TRY
Leroyd-Lars offloads to Lewis who throws it inside to Cronk who gives to Tuiqiri to score in the corner. Smith has learnt from his two previous conversions and swings this one over.
Australia 32-14
49 min: Piggyback for Australia off a loose carry, deemed to be a strip.
50 min: Australia try to spread it wide but Thaiday spills it cold.
51 min: Six again for England ater a chargedown.
52 min: England try a crossfield kick on last but it just rolls over the sideline.
52 min: A great kick and chase from Australia with Morris, Tate and Thaiday forcing Tomkins back in goal.
54 min: Fortunate call there with Westwood judged to not have played at the ball.
56 min: Darren Lockyer just controlling the game with his kicking, trapping Tomkins in-goal again.
57 min: Cameron Smith puts in a kick for Cronk behind the line but he drops it. England just drop it meekly through supposed star Sam Burgess.
59 min: That was coming for a while, England have been laying on the players and get punished.
60 min: PENALTY GOAL
Australia go for the penalty goal and slot it.
Australia 34-14
61 min: High tackle penalty against England for taking Luke Lewis high.
62 min: Forward pass to Watmough from Cronk there.
63 min: England make another error, with the rain pouring down now.
64 min: Darren Lockyer kicks it from the scrum but Briscoe recovers and it'll be a dropout.
65 min: Paul Gallen gets too close to Cameron Smith who is at dummy-half and it's lost.
66 min: Cameron Smith tries to put a hit on Crabtree but is swatted. It creates a race for the ball but it's knocked on by Australia.
69 min: Robinson drops it right in front of him but they are lucky and get a penalty.
70 min: Shaun Lunt could have a try on debut..
70 min: Nope it's no try and play the ball.
71 min: England could have one here again, to Burgess maybe this time.
71 min: No Try, Burgess was offside.
72 min: Getting sloppy now, with Darren Lockyer knocking it on.
73 min: England knock on here now, the game is just meandering along now.
74 min: The wet weather is not helping Australia's attempt at putting on some slick plays. Slater knocks on. Scrum Penalty for England.
75 min: England will have another chance to put on some consolation points with Slater grassing a grubber.
76 min: Shaun O'Loughlin is held up by some committed Australia defence and next tackle force a knock on.
79 min: The game has really fizzled out now, a knock on from England.
80 min: England have final opportunity for points but it's batted dead and that's time.