Bennett’s boys eager to spoil Mal’s big party
GOD Save the Queen. Greetings Mal ... here comes Wayne.
England coach Wayne Bennett has booked an explosive Ashes grudge match with Mal Meninga’s Australia after the Poms last night broke Tonga’s hearts to charge into the World Cup final.
Tonga has been the Cinderella story of the World Cup but its colourful fairytale ended in tears as England displayed Bennett’s clinical edge to prevail 20-18 in a semi-final thriller at Mt Smart Stadium.
Before a heaving, highoctane pro-Tonga crowd of 30,003, the Poms showed poise can trump passion to set up a pulsating decider with the old enemy on Saturday night at Suncorp Stadium.
There was drama to the last second. Tonga looked shot at 20-0, before tries in the 73rd, 77th and 78th minutes sensationally whittled England’s lead to two points.
In the end, England hung on ... but not before Tonga had claims to being robbed after official Matt Cecchin failed to use the video referee when Andrew Fifita crashed over as the full-time siren sounded.
Fifita appeared to be stripped and he clearly regathered to score but Cecchin ruled a knock-on to the dismay of the Tongans as Fifita went into a rage. Unbelievable.
Not since 1995 have Australia and England squared off in a World Cup final – and the latest instalment will have a spicy personal edge involving Queensland icons Bennett and Meninga.
Bennett famously blasted the Australian Rugby League two years ago when he lost out to Meninga for the Kangaroos job. Meninga returned serve last year, accusing Bennett of undermining him and slamming the super coach as “no friend of mine”.
Now the ego, ambitions and simmering tensions of two famous sporting nations and their coaches will collide at Suncorp in the most enthralling England-Australia league contest for two decades.
Australia will start red-hot favourites but the Poms showed last night they will not be World Cup whipping boys.
Bennett has given England a harder, more disciplined edge.
Amid the pop and crackle of the pumped-up Tongan fans, England stayed as calm as a Tibetan monk, with winger ENGLAND Tries: Goals: TONGA Tries: Goals: Jermaine McGillvary (10th minute) and Gareth Widdop (16th) crossing for a 12-0 halftime lead.
Tonga bombed a host of scoring chances and when Daniel Tupou inexplicably dropped the ball with the line wide open in the 44th minute, the fairytale was falling apart.
It was ostensibly shredded to pieces 13 minutes from time when Widdop put John Bateman over but somehow Tonga rose from the canvas to stay alive.
The Tongans played with their usual heart and hunger but never looked in control.
On balance, England played with the precision of a tier-one nation and its offensive structures were sharper and smarter.
Meninga and Bennett will predictably play the PR game this week but beneath the fairy-floss niceties, there is much at stake.
In 2008, Bennett famously helped Steve Kearney’s New Zealand upset Australia in the World Cup decider at Suncorp.
Now he is back to torment Australia again.