Lote Tuqiri and Morgan Turinui were in commanding form in the middle of the back-line, Drew Mitchell on the left wing was dazzling in scoring two tries, while Chris Latham at full-back, was flawless, fast and fearless.No wonder Ireland’s new boy Andrew Trimble, the Ulster centre, was moved to observe of the Aussies: “They look smaller on TV. However, what is for certain is that when he is gone his leadership qualities will be missed.Australia’s performance was not perfect, not by a long way, and Wales will prove as much of a handful at the set-piece and line-out as did a vastly improved Ireland, but in broken play the visitors broke Irish tackles and hearts. Particularly since it would be yet another landmark in a great career.”I wouldn’t expect massive changes,” said Jones, “but there’s a pretty good chance of George Gregan making his 50th appearance as captain.”The player himself spent most of his time in Dublin dead-batting all questions about his future. While this game in Dublin marked the end of a worrying seven-match run of defeats for the Wallabies, Cardiff could be the final scene in the remarkable career of Australia’s captain, George Gregan. Reports from Down Under at the weekend suggested that the veteran scrum-half is going to retire after Saturday’s match against Wales.
There is no doubt that Gregan, the world’s most capped rugby union player, will make his 118th appearance because his coach, Eddie Jones, as good as said he would. Gloucester: O Morgan; R Thirlby, J Simpson-Daniel, T Fanolua (A Allen, 66), M Garvey (B Davies, 80); L Mercier, T Haydn (P Richards, ht); P Collazo (N Wood, 20), J Parkes, G Powell, A Eustace, Q Davids, P Buxton (capt), J Boer (A Balding, 15), J Forrester Referee: A Rowden (Berkshire) Attendance: 9,027. London Irish: R Flutey; D Armitage, R Penney, M Catt (capt; N Mordt, 80), J Bishop; B Everitt, B Willis (P Hodgson, 77); N Hatley, D Coetzee (R Russell, 77), F Rautenbach (R Skuse, 66), R Casey (R Strudwick, 80), N Kennedy, K Roche, D Danaher, P Murphy (P Gustard, 66).
But after Gloucester’s try they went back into their shells, with only Strudwick sticking his neck out to score that late try, itself a ho-hum drive off a maul through some ho-hum defence. The ugly nature of the win did not concern Brian Smith, Irish’s coach, whose side are now sitting pretty in third place, whichever way they’ve managed it Dean Ryan, the Gloucester coach was less chuffed “We looked a confused, startled side,” he said London Irish: Try: Strudwick Conversion: Everitt Penalties: Everitt 6 Gloucester: Try: Richards Conversion: Mercier Penalty: Mercier. Irish had begun to chance their arm a bit themselves by then, as well they might with a 15-point lead. Not that anyone got too excited, as the try, inevitably, came from a charged down kick. Gloucester brought on Peter Richards for the second half and the England squad member with the flashing blond hair did get Gloucester moving to an extent, scoring a try to drag them back to within eight points at 18-10 in the 69th minute. They had won four Gloucester throws before they had even had to defend a lineout of their own. The penalties quickly started to stack up for the home side, and Barry Everitt converted five of them in the first half to give Irish a deserved 15-3 lead at the break.
On paper it was a comfortable win for London Irish, given a touch of gloss by Ryan Strudwick’s try in the very last of those long minutes, but those watching had hoped for better. Both sides had been playing some fine rugby of late and had rediscovered their try-scoring touches; the weather was fine and the crowd in good voice. But none of it swayed the two fly-halfs from a policy of relentless kicking.
Irish fared the better from the word go; Nick Kennedy and Bob Casey making a fine mess of the Gloucester line-out. This was a long, long game.
A total of 20 minutes of injury time were played at the end of the two halves, and a healthily sized crowd felt every one of them, so lacking in ambition were both sides. Agreement between the 22-year-old former Salford City Reds rugby league playerand Wasps director of rugby Ian McGeechan was sealed at the post-match press conference.. But then Jackson returned the compliment with a kick right on the Falcons line that Lee Dickson could not take – and Jackson was on hand to score.Neil Baxter agreed to sign up with Wasps after scoring two tries in the 28-20 home win over Bath on his full debut for the Premiership champions. Newcastle got back into it in the 60th minute as Burke chased and caught his own high kick and sped in to score. But then Newcastle did win a lineout, drove it well and Burke joined the line and passed perfectly for James Hoyle to score.Saracens piled on the pressure and were eventually rewarded when Haughton scrambled over for his second try. With Colin Charvis on international duty, Cory Harris – whose wife went into labour over the weekend – also ruled out and injuries to Mark Mayerhofler, Stuart Grimes, Owen Finegan and Hall Charlton Newcastle fielded a weakened line-up.The Falcons were punished for losing their own lineout in the 17th minute as Saracens whipped the ball along the line for Mark Bartholomeusz to put Richard Haughton clear and the winger scored easily.