9:02am Monday 14th June 2010
By John Boyman
TOM Croft regained his place in the England team but was unable to prevent them being beaten 27-17 by Australia in Perth on Saturday.
The flanker, who grew up in Kingsclere, was awarded his favoured number six shirt for the first test despite missing the entire Six Nations campaign through injury.
He had a hand in England’s domination of the scrum and was held up over the line at one point but the hosts fully deserved their victory.
Australia looked far more comfortable with the ball in hand throughout the match and almost went ahead in the opening minutes, Chris Ashton producing a fine tackle to deny Drew Mitchell.
The hosts were well on top and the only surprise was that it took them 20 minutes to open the scoring.
Their first try came about after a poor clearance kick from England presented Australia’s dangerous back three with the ball.
Mitchell exploited the chance to gain ground and while he was stopped, the winger was soon involved again, putting Rocky Elsom away to open the scoring.
James O’Connor’s conversion made it 7-0 and the hosts soon had a second try.
A lineout intended for Croft was stolen and in the ensuing attack, scrum-half Luke Burgess escaped around the fringes of a ruck before sending Quade Cooper over next to the posts. O’Connor added the extras to make it 14-0 at half-time.
England improved after the break and pulled three points back early on, Toby Flood kicking a penalty.
Croft then went close to claiming a try, twisting through the defence to cross the line – but the referee adjudged that he had been held up.
The result was a five-metre scrum and England showed their class in this area, eventually being awarded a penalty try.
Flood’s conversion left them just four points behind but Australia responded well, Cooper combining with Digby Ioane for a try, with O’Connor’s conversion putting the hosts 21-10 ahead.
England worked their way up the field and earned another five-metre scrum. Again they forced the Australians to infringe, with prop Salesi Ma’afu being sin-binned before they conceded another penalty try.
Again Flood converted to reduce the lead to four points but England were unable to get on terms.
O’Connor added a penalty to leave England needing a converted try to score before former Lord Wandsworth pupil Jonny Wilkinson was introduced.
However, he was unable to change the course of the game, Cooper completing the scoring with a penalty.
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