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England crush Georgia in WC opener
PERTH, Australia -- England ran in 12 tries as they overwhelmed Georgia 84-6 in the Rugby Union World Group Pool C opener in Perth on Sunday. Ten different players crossed the Georgian line with Ben Cohen and Will Greenwood bagging two tries apiece. England coach Clive Woodward said the match was a good workout before their crunch match with South Africa next Sunday. "It was a very tough game," he said. "Early on we were very sloppy. But it was good to get the first game out of the way and I'm looking forward to playing South Africa next week." Georgia coach Claude Saurel said his team would learn from the exposure to better players. "Of course we are disappointed," the Frenchman said. "We expected to do better, but considering the quality of our opponents we did well. What was useful was that it was good to play against good players." Star fly-half Jonny Wilkinson bagged his first points of the tournament with a penalty in the third minute, slotting over from around 35 metres out after the Georgians had strayed offside. Georgia spoiled effectively in slippery conditions early on and got back on level terms when England scrum-half Matt Dawson was penalised for not releasing. Right wing Malkhaz Urjukashvili stepped up for the penalty and thumped over a superb kick from near halfway, bringing raucous applause for the minnows from the crowd of 25,501. England gradually started to find some fluency and finally crossed for their first try on 14 minutes when centre Mike Tindall powered over after good work at the lineout by lock Ben Kay. Wilkinson converted to make it 10-3 and England began to turn the screw, Dawson darting over for a try converted by Wilkinson to take the score to 17-3. Hooker Steve Thompson got on the scoresheet just after 20 minutes when he barrelled over following a charge from Kay, Wilkinson adding the two points. Open-side Neil Back capitalised on sloppy Georgian play to cross next for England, the unerring boot of Wilkinson again converting. Prop Leonard clinched his place in the record books, making a fleeting appearance as a temporary replacement for Trevor Woodman to earn his 112th international cap, including five British Lions Tests selections. England were denied a further try, this time from Woodman, after Argentinian referee Pablo Deluca consulted the video referee and ruled the Gloucester prop had failed to ground. A penalty from Wilkinson on the stroke of half-time made it 34-3 and within five minutes of the restart No.8 Lawrence Dallaglio stretched the lead with a text-book pick up and drive from a scrum. Wilkinson converted to make it seven out of seven for the night and 41-3. Woodward immediately decided the playmaker had done enough and replaced him with experienced reserve flyhalf Paul Grayson. Centre Will Greenwood scored in the corner after neat interplay by Kay and scrum-half Andy Gomarsall, who had replaced Dawson, to maintain the points spree. England scored a further try from replacement hooker Mark Regan, before Georgia flyhalf Paliko Jimsheladze earned their second penalty to lift their spirits. But further tries from wing Cohen (2), Greenwood, Robinson and Luger completed an emphatic victory.
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