2008 Australia rugby union tour

The 2008 Australia rugby union tour was a series of seven matches played by the Australia national rugby union team in November–December 2008. The tour was preceded by a match against All Blacks for the Bledisloe Cup and closed with a match against Barbarian FC

2008 Australia rugby union tour
Coach(es)Robbie Deans
Tour captain(s)Stirling Mortlock
Summary
P W D L
Total
06 04 00 02
Test match
05 03 00 02
Opponent
P W D L
 New Zealand
1 0 0 1
 Italy
1 1 0 0
 England
1 1 0 0
 France
1 1 0 0
 Wales
1 0 0 1
Tour chronology
Previous tour2006
Next tour2009

The Matches

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Date Home team Score Away team Venue Status
1 November New Zealand   19-14   Australia Hong Kong Stadium, So Kon Po, Hong Kong Test match, Bledisloe Cup
8 November Italy   20-30   Australia Stadio Euganeo, Padua Test match
15 November England   14-28   Australia Twickenham Stadium, London Test match, Cook Cup
22 November France   13-18   Australia Stade de France, Saint-Denis, Paris Test match, Trophée des Bicentenaires
29 November Wales   21-18   Australia Millennium Stadium, Cardiff Test match, James Bevan Trophy
3 December Barbarian F.C. 11-18   Australia XV Wembley Stadium, London The Final Challenge, Olympic Rugby Centenary Celebration Match, Cornwall Cup

Matches

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Bledisloe Cup match

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A first match was played in Hong Kong against New Zealand. It was the fourth match between the two teams. Winning the match, the All Blacks tied the series (2–2) and retained the Bledisloe Cup.

1 November 2008
New Zealand  19–14  Australia
Try: Sivivatu 41'
McCaw 82'
Pen: Carter 12', 23', 31'
reportTry: Mitchell 8'
Mitchell 25'
Con: Giteau 8', 25'
So Kon Po, Hong Kong
Attendance: 40,000
Referee: Alan Lewis (Ireland)
New Zealand Australia
  Isaia Toeava FB 15 FB Adam Ashley-Cooper
Hosea Gear W 14 W Peter Hynes
Conrad Smith C 13 C Ryan Cross  
Dan Carter C 12 C Stirling Mortlock (capt.)
Sitiveni Sivivatu W 11 W Drew Mitchell
  Stephen Donald FH 10 FH Matt Giteau
  Jimmy Cowan SH 9 SH Luke Burgess
Rodney So'oialo N8 8 N8 Richard Brown
(capt.) Richie McCaw F 7 F George Smith  
  Jerome Kaino F 6 F Dean Mumm
Ali Williams L 5 L Nathan Sharpe  
  Brad Thorn L 4 L Mark Chisholm
  Neemia Tialata P 3 P Al Baxter  
  Andrew Hore H 2 H Stephen Moore
Tony Woodcock P 1 P Benn Robinson
Replacements
  Keven Mealamu H 16 Tatafu Polota-Nau
  Greg Somerville P 17 P Matt Dunning  
  Anthony Boric L 18 L Phil Waugh  
  Adam Thomson N8 19 F David Pocock  
  Piri Weepu SH 20 Sam Cordingley
  Ma'a Nonu FH 21 C Berrick Barnes  
  Cory Jane FB 22 Lachie Turner
Coaches
  Graham Henry Robbie Deans  

In Italy

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Against Italy, the Wallabies suffer the strong play of Italian forwards and the strong defence of "azzurri", winning the match also in the last 20 minutes, thanks a try from Quade Cooper.

8 November 2008
Italy  20–30  Australia
Try: Mi. Bergamasco 29'
Pen: Marcato 6' 11' Orquera 52' 59'
reportTry: Turner 7' Cooper 71'
Con: Giteau 72'
Pen: Mortlock 2' Giteau 17' 38' 47' 50' 78'
Stadio Euganeo, Padua
Attendance: 30,000
Referee: Bryce Lawrence (New Zealand)
Italy Australia
Andrea Masi FB 15 FB Adam Ashley-Cooper
Kaine Robertson W 14 W Lachie Turner
Gonzalo Canale C 13 C Stirling Mortlock (capt.)
Gonzalo Garcia C 12 C Timana Tahu   62'
Mirco Bergamasco W 11 W Digby Ioane
  45' Andrea Marcato FH 10 FH Berrick Barnes   13'
  61' Pablo Canavosio SH 9 SH Luke Burgess
(capt.) Sergio Parisse N8 8 N8 Richard Brown
Mauro Bergamasco F 7 F Phil Waugh
  73' Josh Sole F 6 F Dean Mumm
Marco Bortolami L 5 L Hugh McMeniman   73'
Carlo Del Fava L 4 L Mark Chisholm
Carlos Nieto P 3 P Matt Dunning
  50' Leonardo Ghiraldini H 2 H Stephen Moore
  50' Salvatore Perugini P 1 P Ben Alexander   73'
Replacements
  50' Fabio Ongaro H 16 Tatafu Polota-Nau
  50' Matías Agüero P 17 P Sekope Kepu   43'
Tommaso Reato 18 L Wycliff Palu   73'
  73' Alessandro Zanni F 19 David Pocock
  61' Giulio Toniolatti SH 20 FH Matt Giteau   13'
  45' Luciano Orquera FH 21 C Quade Cooper   62'
Matteo Pratichetti 22 James O'Connor
Coaches
  Nick Mallett Robbie Deans  

Against England

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England offered a strong opposition in the first half, especially between the 35th and 39th minutes, and scored a try with Nick Easter and a penalty with Danny Cipriani, but the Aussies were always ahead thanks to the kicks of Giteau and Martlock, until a try of Adam Ashley-Cooper closed the match.

15 November 2008
England  14–28  Australia
Try: Easter 35'
Pen: Cipriani 39' 50'
Drop: Armitage 21'
reportTry: Aslhey-Cooper 68'
Con: Giteau 69'
Pen: Giteau 2' 6' 27' 31' 53' 58'
Mortlock 64'
Twickenham, London
Attendance: 81,000
Referee: Marius Jonker (South Africa)
England Australia
Delon Armitage FB 15 FB Adam Ashley-Cooper
Paul Sackey W 14 W Peter Hynes
Jamie Noon C 13 C Ryan Cross
Riki Flutey C 12 C Stirling Mortlock (capt.)
Ugo Monye W 11 W Drew Mitchell
  71' Danny Cipriani FH 10 FH Matt Giteau
  66' Danny Care SH 9 SH Luke Burgess
  59' Nick Easter N8 8 N8 Richard Brown   45'
  64' Tom Rees F 7 F George Smith
Tom Croft F 6 F Hugh McMeniman   80'
  64' Tom Palmer L 5 L Nathan Sharpe
(capt.) Steve Borthwick L 4 L Mark Chisholm   65'
  54'   66' Phil Vickery P 3 P Al Baxter
  70' Lee Mears H 2 H Stephen Moore
  34' to 42' 66'   Andrew Sheridan P 1 P Benn Robinson
Replacements
  70' Dylan Hartley H 16 F Tatafu Polota-Nau   80'
  32–42'   54' Matt Stevens P 17 Matt Dunning
  64' Simon Shaw L 18 L Dean Mumm   65'
  59' James Haskell N8 19 N8 Wycliff Palu   45'
  64' Michael Lipman F 20 Sam Cordingley
  66' Harry Ellis SH 21 Quade Cooper
  71' Toby Flood FH 22 Digby Ioane
Coaches
  Brian Ashton Robbie Deans  

Against France

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As in the two previous matches, Wallabies obtain victory thanks a better second half. The try of Peter Hynes and a kick after France reached the 13–13 in the beginning of second Half. On French Sie, Skrela missed five kicks.

22 November 2008
France  13–18  Australia
Try: Penalty try 39'
Con: Skrela 40'
Pen: Skrela 48'
Drop: Medard 51'
reportTry: Moore 31' Hynes 57'
Con: Giteau 32'
Pen: Giteau 28' 74'
Stade de France, Saint-Dennis
Attendance: 70,000
Referee: Craig Joubert (South Africa)
France Australia
Maxime Medard FB 15 FB Drew Mitchell
Julien Malzieu W 14 W Peter Hynes
  78' Yannick Jauzion C 13 C Adam Ashley-Cooper   75'
  35' Benoit Baby C 12 C Stirling Mortlock (capt.)
Cédric Heymans W 11 W Digby Ioane
  75' to 80' David Skrela FH 10 FH Matt Giteau
  77' Sebastien Tillous-Borde SH 9 SH Luke Burgess   64'
Imanol Harinordoquy N8 8 N8 Wycliff Palu   59'
Fulgence Ouedraogo F 7 F George Smith
  69' Thierry Dusautoir F 6 F Dean Mumm
  42' (capt.) Lionel Nallet L 5 L Nathan Sharpe
Sébastien Chabal L 4 L Hugh McMeniman
  58' Nicolas Mas P 3 P Al Baxter
  56' Dimitri Szarzewski H 2 H Stephen Moore
Lionel Faure P 1 P Ben Alexander   64'
Replacements
  58' Benoit Lecouls P 16 Tatafu Polota-Nau
  56' Benjamin Kayser H 17 P Sekope Kepu   64'
  42' Romain Millo-Chluski L 18 N8 Mark Chisholm   59'
  69' Louis Picamoles F 19 David Pocock
  77' Julien Tomas SH 20 SH Sam Cordingley   64'
  35' Damien Traille C 21 C Quade Cooper   75'
  78' Alexis Palisson W 22 Lote Tuqiri
Coaches
  Marc Lièvremont Robbie Deans  

Against Wales

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29 November 2008
Wales  21–18  Australia
Try: S. Williams 3', Byrne 30'
Con: S. Jones 31
Pen: S. Jones 28', 78'
Drop: S. Jones 67'
reportTry: Chisolm 13', Ioane 80'
Con: Gietau 14'
Pen: Gietau 46'
Drop: Giteau 24'
Millennium, Cardiff
Attendance: 74,000
Referee: Alan Lewis (Ireland)
Wales Australia
Lee Byrne FB 15 FB Drew Mitchell
Mark Jones W 14 W Peter Hynes   33'
Tom Shanklin C 13 C Ryan Cross
  17' Jamie Roberts C 12 C Stirling Mortlock (capt.)   2'
Shane Williams W 11 W Digby Ioane
Stephen Jones FH 10 FH Matt Giteau
Gareth Cooper SH 9 SH Luke Burgess
  61' Andy Powell N8 8 N8 Richard Brown
Martyn Williams F 7 F Phil Waugh   62'
(capt.) Ryan Jones F 6 F Hugh McMeniman   69'
Alun Wyn Jones L 5 L Nathan Sharpe
Ian Gough L 4 L Mark Chisholm
Adam R. Jones P 3 P Al Baxter
Matthew Rees H 2 H Stephen Moore   27' to 37'   69'
Gethin Jenkins P 1 P Benn Robinson
Replacements
Richard Hibbard 16 H Adam Freier   69'
John Yapp 17 Matt Dunning
Luke Charteris 18 F Dean Mumm   69'
  61' Dafydd Jones N8 19 F George Smith   62'
Martin Roberts 20 Sam Cordingley
James Hook 21 C Quade Cooper   2'
  17' Andrew Bishop C 22 W Lote Tuqiri   33'
Coaches
  Warren Gatland Robbie Deans  

Final match with Barbarians

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Australia was approached by the British Olympic Association to play the Barbarians at Wembley Stadium on 3 December 2008. The match formed part of the BOA's programme of events to celebrate the centenary of the first London Olympic Games where Australia defeated a Great Britain (Cornwall) side in the final 32 – 3. In 1908 France were the defending Olympic champions, but when they withdrew from the event, leaving just Australia and Great Britain to contest the gold medal, it was then County champions Cornwall who took to the field to represent the host nation. Cornwall had already been defeated in Australia's earlier 31-match tour. Cornwall's 1908 contribution was also further recognised by the presentation of the Cornwall Cup to the winning captain at Wembley, with the players of the respective sides receiving gold or silver commemorative medals. The game was the first rugby union fixture to take place in the new Wembley Stadium, the old stadium having been last used for Wales' last gasp 32–31 victory over England in the then Five Nations in 1999.

3 December 2008
Barbarians11–18Australia XV
Try: Collins 61
Pen: Montgomery 34' 38'
reportTry: Tuqiri 12' Turner 77'
Con: O' Connor 13'
Pen: O' Connoer 19' 22'
Wembley Stadium, London
Attendance: 44,000
Referee: Chris White
Barbarians Australia XV
  40' Percy Montgomery FB 15 FB James O'Connor   64'
Joe Rokocoko W 14 W Lote Tuqiri
  50' Rico Gear C 13 C Ryan Cross   57'
Jean de Villiers C 12 C Adam Ashley-Cooper
Bryan Habana W 11 W Digby Ioane
Frans Steyn FH 10 FH Quade Cooper
  59' Fourie du Preez SH 9 SH Brett Sheehan   50'
Schalk Burger N8 8 N8 Richard Brown   46'
Richie McCaw F 7 F George Smith
Jerry Collins F 6 F Dean Mumm
  50' Johann Muller L 5 L Hugh McMeniman
Bakkies Botha L 4 L Mark Chisholm
  51' Census Johnston P 3 P Matt Dunning   46'
John Smit H 2 H Tatafu Polota-Nau   46'
  32' Federico Pucciariello P 1 P Sekope Kepu
Replacements
  59' Mark Regan R 16 R Adam Freier   46'
  32' Rodney Blake R 17 R Ben Alexander   46'
  50' Chris Jack R 18 Peter Kimlin
  51' Nick Köster R 19 R David Pocock   46'
  59' George Gregan R 20 R Luke Burgess   50'
  50' Ollie Smith R 21 R Lachie Turner   57'
  40' Shane Williams R 22 R Drew Mitchell   64'
Coaches
Robbie Deans  

See also

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