Good evening and welcome to the live commentary of the
Rugby World Cup clash between
England and
Uruguay.
England will be desperate to sign off their disastrous World Cup campaign with a strong performance this evening. The Red Rose suffered the indignity of becoming the first host nation to fail to reach the knockout stage of the competition following back-to-back defeats to Wales and Australia in their last two Pool A matches.
Stuart Lancaster has been put under huge pressure following his side's failure at their home tournament. Reports have suggested that this could be his final match in charge of the Red Rose after four years in charge. However, he will be determined to end with a victory over the minnows to try to finish with a positive memory of the tournament.
Sian Cowper is at the Etihad Stadium this evening for Sports Mole, she reports from Manchester:"Both sides are out on Manchester City's pitch going through their warm-ups ahead of their final match at the 2015 Rugby World Cup. It's still a while until kickoff, but already the Etihad is filling up, with the majority of the supporters in the white shirts of England. Now that it's dark, it's a pretty chilly setting, but there's just a hint of a breeze that shouldn't trouble the kicking game too much. With both sides playing for nothing but pride tonight, it will be interesting to see how both sides approach this match."
Uruguay have endured just as much as miserable campaign as England as they have been hammered in all three of their matches in the tournament. However, they did manage to end their 12-year drought for a try at the World Cup as Carlos Arboleya and Agustin Ormaechea both notched scores in their defeat to Fiji. So, head coach Pablo Lemoine has reason to take some positives from their time in England.
Let's take a look at the confirmed teams for this evening's match.
England: M. Vunipola, T. Youngs, Cole; Launchbury, Parling; Haskell, Robshaw; Easter; Care, Ford, Nowell, Farrell, Slade, Watson, Goode
Replacements: George, Marler, Wilson, Kruis, Wood, Wigglesworth, Joseph, Brown
Uruguay: Mieres, Gibernau, Prada, Vilaseca, Silva, Berchesi, Ormaechea, Sanguinetti, Arboleya, Sagario, Vilaseca, Jorge Zerbino, Gaminara, Beer, Nieto
Replacements: Klappenbach, Duran, Corral, Palomeque, Magno, Alonso, Duran, Blengio
Lancaster has made seven changes to his team that lost to Australia last time out. Danny Care,
Jack Nowell,
Henry Slade and Alex Goode all make their debuts at the World Cup, while Mako Vunipola, George Ford and
Nick Easter also come into the starting XV. There's no place, even on the bench, for Sam Burgess.
Lancaster believes that several young players will have the chance to make their mark for the Red Rose this evening.
He told reporters: "This is an opportunity for us to finish the tournament with a strong performance against Uruguay and a chance for the likes of young players such as Jack Nowell and Henry Slade to play in a World Cup," Lancaster told reporters. "We owe it to ourselves and the supporters who have been brilliant throughout. This is an important game for rugby in the North of England and we want to give those people who have been looking forward to this game something to cheer about."
Sian Cowper reports on the atmosphere inside the Etihad Stadium ahead of kickoff:"The Etihad erupts into life as the England team re-emerge from the tunnel for their final warmups. The host nation had briefly gone back inside, while Uruguay have continued working away at their lineout routine, but Stuart Lancaster's side are back, and it looks like they're concentrating on passing and tackling. England will surely have received a boost from the support when running back out, and the stadium is still only about 60% full. Come kickoff, it should be quite an atmosphere."
England's World Cup delved into further farce this week when it emerged that Mike Catt and Danny Cipriani had a scuffle on the training ground ahead of the tournament. Meanwhile, coaches Andy Farrell and Graham Rowntree have been hit with restricted access for the match this evening for breaching match officials' protocol last week.
Sir Clive Woodward has just distanced himself from becoming involved in the England set-up once again, insisting that part of his career was over with. The RFU could be set to reshuffle the coaching set up with the Red Rose, with reports suggesting that they approached Nick Mallett about becoming head coach, which they immediately denied. An interesting future awaits English rugby once the World Cup has ended.
A big night for young players such as Jack Nowell and Henry Slade. Slade was overlooked for England's defeat to Wales in favour of Burgess, and he will be looking to prove a point to Lancaster and the coaching staff. Meanwhile, Nowell will be looking to capitalise on Jonny May's absence to put pressure on the winger ahead of Six Nations next year.
Sian Cowper reports from the Etihad Stadium: "It's still not full, with the match due to get underway in just a few minutes time, but the crowd are really getting into it now, with a sing-a-long to Wonderwall as the Webb Ellis Cup is brought out onto the pitch ready for the national anthems. If England were worried about a backlash following their early exit, it doesn't look like that will happen tonight."
The players are making their way out on to the pitch so we should be underway shortly.
PAST MEETING: England and Uruguay have only faced off once before, which occured at the 2003 World Cup when the Red Rose ran out 111-13 victors as Josh Lewsey scored five tries.
KICKOFF! We're underway at the Etihad Stadium.
England are caught offside from a kick from Ormaechea as Care is penalised and Berchesi will have an attempt at the posts to fire Uruguay ahead.
PENALTY! England 0-3 Uruguay (Berchesi)
Berchesi sends his kick right through the middle of the posts and Uruguay take the lead at the Etihad Stadium.
England drive forward into the Uruguay 22 through Farrell and the Red Rose push to the five-yard line before the mistake comes from Launchbury as he knocks the ball on. However, Youngs is penalised for a head roll and Uruguay earn the chance to clear their lines.
Sian Cowper reports from a quiet Etihad Stadium:"Well that's not the start England would have wanted! Uruguay have looked lively in the opening couple of minutes, with full-back Gaston Mieres making a run down the left before England gave away the penalty. A booming chorus of Swing Low Sweet Chariot had been filling the ground, but now it's gone rather quiet."
TRY! England 7-3 Uruguay (Watson)
England take the lead out of nothing as they manage to wheel the scrum around and Slade sends the ball out to Nowell on the left wing. Nowell kicks the ball towards the tryline and Watson wins the foot race to touch it down just before the dead-ball line to secure the score. Farrell makes no mistake from the conversion to hand England a four-point lead.
The Red Rose maintain their pressure as a mistake from Gibernau allows England an attacking scrum in the Uruguay 22. Farrell and Ford pressure with runs from the inside, but the minnows hold the line to repel the white shirts. An error from Launchbury almost allows Arboleya to break, but he is baiiled out by a penalty.
Care drives straight for the line from the penalty, but Uruguay mass numbers around the ball to quell the England attack. Slade makes the error on the five-metre line for the hosts to end the attack and allow the minnows to clear the danger.
Sian Cowper reports on England's try:"This is much more like it from England. Jack Nowell's kick to set up Anthony Watson's try was just superb, and but for a couple of handling errors they should probably have had a second by now, with Chris Robshaw driving hard in the maul, while Henry Slade spilled the ball just short. Stuart Lancaster might not be all that impressed with the scoreline so far, but it's been a good performance over the last five minutes or so."
England are dominating at the scrum by using their weight advantage to earn a penalty. Ford kicks deep into Uruguay territory to set his side up for a potential score from an attacking lineout.
TRY! England 14-3 Uruguay (Easter)
The Red Rose extend their advantage by dominating from the lineout as Uruguay allow Parling to take the ball before joining the maul. England work the ball back to Easter, who gets behind his fellow forwards to ease in for the score from five metres out. No problem again for Farrell from the conversion.
TRY! England 21-3 Uruguay (Easter)
England use another attacking lineout as the catalyst for their third try of the match. Robshaw collects the ball from Youngs and the forwards drive towards the line. Care takes the ball from the breakdown and surges through a couple of tackles before he gets brought down, but Easter is there to gather and rush in for the score.
Easter goes from high to low with seconds as he drops the ball from the restart, handing Uruguay the put-in at the scrum deep in England territory.
Uruguay lose the ball from a promising position as Goode gathers inside his 22 and allows England to push forward down the wings. Watson and Nowell carry the ball into the Uruguay half before the minnows provide a stern resistance.
England cannot find a way through the Uruguay defence for a fourth score, despite working the ball well inside the 22. Watson and Slade have a couple of attempts to raid through the gainline, but the Blue shirts tackle forcibly to allow them a chance to clear their lines.
Sian Cowper reports on Nick Easter's two tries at the Etihad Stadium:"What a couple of minutes it's been for Nick Easter! The veteran number eight wasn't in the squad originally, only getting a chance midway through the group stage because of an injury to Billy Vunipola, but he's made the most of his opportunities so far this evening, twice using his strength to muscle his way across the line. Not bad for a 37-year-old."
A poor kick from Ford sends the ball out on the full inside his own half. The fly-half was trying to find Watson on the wing, but his miscue has handed Uruguay a chance to pressure the England defence.
England win the ball back, but Gibernau breaks away over the gainline, but Goode makes a good covering tackle to stop the winger's surge forward. The work from Goode allows England to get men back to force the penalty from La Celeste and Ford is able to ease the pressure by finding touch. Lancaster's men will be eyeing another score just before the break.
The Red Rose get the chance to turn the screw as Goode is brought down by a high tackle from his opposite number. However, the hosts waste the opportunity when Easter hangs on to the ball under pressure at the breakdown and Uruguay win the penalty, which allows them to clear.
YELLOW CARD! England earn a string of penalties before the break and the referee has had enough of the deliberate actions of the minnows and sends Vilaseca to the sin bin.
England cannot take advantage before the break as Cole loses the ball forward and Berchesi sends the ball into touch to end the half.
HALF-TIME: England 21-3 Uruguay
England hold a 21-3 lead at the break, but their performance has been underwhelming to say the lead. The Red Rose have had a lot of the ball inside the Uruguay 22, but have not been able to fully capitalise on their positioning. However, they have scored three tries as Anthony Watson raced on to Jack Nowell's kick over the top, although replays have shown that the try should have disallowed for offside. Nick Easter showed at 37 that he still has something to give as he notched two scores, the second of which he displayed great awareness to follow Care and find the gap in the line to touch down. Lancaster will be demanding more from his team after the break.
Sian Cowper reports from the Etihad Stadium:"It's been a solid if unspectacular display from England so far. Stuart Lancaster's side have shown moments of brilliance, including the kick to set up Anthony Watson's opening try, and easily have the beating of their opponents in the maul. However, they have wasted a number of opportunities against a Uruguay side that have been looking to break on the counter. There haven't been too many opportunities for the South Americans though, and they'll have a tricky time early in the second half while their captain stays in the sin bin."
RESTART! We're back underway at the Etihad Stadium.
England earn the chance to put pressure right on the Uruguay line from the restart as Easter wins the ball from the kickoff. The Red Rose work the ball across the pitch before Haskell drops the ball, but he is bailed out by a penalty against La Celeste for offside.
TRY! England 26-3 Uruguay (Watson)
England extend their lead and Watson notched his second try of the game as he collects the ball from Care following a five-metre scrum, and he strides to the line to touch down under no pressure. However, Farrell misses for the first time of the match.
Uruguay threaten as they push into the England 22 and win a penalty as the Red Rose collapse the maul. Instead of going for goal Berchesi kicks the ball into touch for an attacking lineout. However, La Celeste lose the ball from the ensuing maul from the lineout and England are allowed to clear.
Sian Cowper reports on England's fourth try of the game:"With Uruguay still down to 14 men, England quickly make add their fourth try of the evening, with Anthony Watson securing his second with a run over in the corner following a well-executed scrum. Some of the fans have been a little slow returning from their half-time activities, but the numbers rush back as they hear the cheers for the try."
Errors from both flankers ruin two attacking moves from England in the space of two minutes as Robshaw loses the ball forward, while Haskell then commits a handling error seconds later. Haskell follows up his error by committing a penalty by entering the ruck from the side. Not the best games from the duo in the back row.
TRY! England 31-3 Uruguay (Slade)
Henry Slade scores his first try of his international career as he charges down an attempted kick from Ormaechea and kicks the ball forward past Mieres, which allows him to race beyond the line to touch down. Impressive work from the 22-year-old. However, Farrell misses his second kick of the night.
TRY! England 38-3 Uruguay (Nowell)
England notch their second try in the space of three minutes as Care finds space down the left flank and chooses the precise moment to release Nowell, who shakes off a tackle to race in for the score. Farrell sends his kick through the posts on this occasion.
TRY! England 43-3 Uruguay (Easter)
Easter completes his hat-trick as he coasts in for the score behind the maul following a lineout. England are in full flow at the moment, and Uruguay are beginning to display tired legs out on the field.
Uruguay win a penalty and send the ball deep towards the England tryline. La Celeste work the maul to drive towards the the tryline, but the defence from the Red Rose stops them inches short. Ormaechea sends the ball to the right wing where Silva has to beat Nowell, but the England man makes a crucial tackle to stop the attack. However, Uruguay earn another penalty and send the ball into touch.
Kruis wins the lineout for the hosts and England manage to work the ball out of their 22 before Ford boots the ball clear. A wasted opportunity for the minnows, a try there would have been a major coup for them.
Sian Cowper reports on Nick Easter's hat-trick at the Etihad Stadium:"The atmosphere has been coming and going at the Etihad this evening, but three more tries for England have livened things up again. For the first two it was pace that got the better of Uruguay, who are looking rather weary now. Slade raced away down the left, before Danny Care did the hard work to set up the second, before finding Nowell with a precise pass out wide. Nick Easter certainly looks pleased to have completed his hat-trick, converting from the maul yet again for the seventh try of the night."
TRY! England 48-3 Uruguay (Nowell)
England have their eighth try of the night as Nowell touches down on the right wing. Care led another drive to the line using the power of the Red Rose's pack before he sent the ball to Ford, who lobbed the pass to Nowell in the corner for the simple score.
TRY! England 53-3 Uruguay (Nowell)
England are in once again and they pass the 50-point mark as Nowell finishes off a sublime team move. Joseph was the architect as his stop-start run opened up space for his teammates as he unloaded the ball to Slade, who in turn found Nowell to run in to touch the ball down beyond the line. Ford misses his conversion for the third time on the spin.
Sian Cowper reports from the Etihad Stadium:"Jack Nowell joins Nick Easter with a hat-trick from what has turned into quite an emphatic second-half performance from England. With just a few minutes to go, it's starting to empty out in Manchester, with the victory undoubtedly in the bag. It hasn't been the icing on the cake most fans would have been hoping this fixture would be when they bought tickets for the final pool match, but England have at least given the fans a few decent tries to cheer."
An error from Mike Brown allows Uruguay an attacking lineout, but England display resilience to hold out and the break upfield on the counter.
TRY! England 60-3 Uruguay (Penalty)
England notch their 10th try as Wrigglesworth raids towards the line and feeds Ford. The fly-half is dropped short of the line, but Wrigglesworth offloads to Goode, but the full-back is taken out before he can register the score. However, the referee awards a penalty try due to an offside against La Celeste. Ford ends the match by kicking through the posts.
FULL-TIME: England 60-3 Uruguay
England end what was a disappointing World Cup on a strong note with a crushing 60-3 victory over Uruguay this evening. It took a while for the Red Rose to find their best form, but in the second half they were sublime, especially in the final third of the pitch where they snapped up the majority of their opportunities. Nick Easter and Jack Nowell notched hat-tricks, while Anthony Watson continued his fine start to his international career with two scores. Henry Slade got off the mark with his first international try and a penalty score right before the whistle sealed the win.
Sian Cowper provides a full-time update from the Etihad Stadium:"So, that's the end of the Rugby World Cup for England, and it's nice to see that England are giving their opponents a guard of honour as they head down the tunnel. It hasn't been an easy tournament for the South Americans, facing four of the top 10 sides in the world, but they really put in the effort tonight. The England players are also sticking around to applaud their fans."
Thanks for joining our commentary of England's final Rugby World Cup match this evening. Until next time, goodbye.
