Holders Australia reach semifinals
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Gregan ready for "great" semifinal after helping Australia stop Scots.
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BRISBANE, Australia -- Host nation Australia overcame a scrappy start to crush Scotland 33-16 on Saturday and waltz into a World Cup semifinal against favorites New Zealand.
Scotland held the defending champions 9-9 in the first half, but Australia stepped up a gear after the break scoring three tries to one and eventually running out comfortable winners. Earlier, the All Blacks beat South Africa 29-9.
"We're in the semifinals, you've got to be happy with that," said Australian skipper George Gregan.
"It was a tough game, they came out exactly how we expected. We were a little bit ill-disciplined in the first half, but we started the second half really well."
Gregan is looking forward to playing New Zealand adding: "I guess it's a match both teams probably knew that at some stage we were going to meet.
"They're always great games and there's a massive, massive prize at the end of this."
The Wallabies will need to show some improvement. They played well below their best against the Scots, dropping too many passes and struggling to win their own lineout ball.
They still looked strong in defense and dangerous in attack -- but they failed to capitalise on most of their opportunities until the second half.
Outside center Stirling Mortlock, captain George Gregan and number eight David Lyons all scored tries in a devastating 18-minute burst that put the result beyond all real doubt.
And Elton Flatley landed three conversions and four penalties.
Scotland's lone try came from replacement hooker Rob Russell in the final play while makeshift flyhalf Chris Paterson booted two penalties, a drop goal and a conversion.
The Scots, given no real hope after scraping into the quarterfinals with a last-gasp win over Fiji, held on grimly in the first half against a wave of Australian attacks to remain on level terms.
Flatley put the Australians ahead three separate times in the first half with penalties but on each occassion the Scots equalised through Paterson, who was left dazed after being hit on the head by the ball during the warm-up.
He showed no ill-effects of the knock as he calmly slotted over two penalties and 48-meter drop goal just before the break to level after a dour half.
Australia replaced George Smith with Matt Cockbain during the interval to give them an extra lineout jumper and the change had an immediate effect as the Wallabies quicky seized control.
Mortlock, who was called into the side at the expense of Matthew Burke to provide extra thrust out wide, justified his selection when he beat two defenders in a 60-meter sprint to the line to score the opening try.
Flatley converted from in front of the posts before adding a penalty in the 52nd minute.
Then scrumhalf Gregan dived on a loose ball in goal to score in the 59th minute after the impressive openside flanker Phil Waugh and Tuqiri had each broken through.
Lyons, who had also had a strong match, barged his way over in the 59th minute after picking up from the back of the scrum to give Australia a 33-9 lead.
With the result beyond doubt, Australia coach Eddie Jones introduced all seven substitutes to the fray.
The Wallabies failed to add to their total but held their line intact until Russell forced his way over in the last minute.
Utility back Matt Giteau may have made his final contribution after injuring an ankle against the Scots.
Giteau, a second half replacement for Stephen Larkham, will have an x-ray and scan and coach Eddie Jones said: "We'll know more in the morning but it looks pretty serious."
