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| Greg Inglis breaks through the England defence to score a try [GALLO/GETTY] |
Greg Inglis and Billy Slater scored three tries each as Australia, without star playmaker Johnathan Thurston, trounced England 52-4 to clinch a semi-final berth at the Rugby League World Cup.
Slater and Inglis gave Australia a 12-0 lead after 10 minutes, but England
hooker James Roby scored from dummy half to cut the gap to 12-4 midway through the half.
Anthony Laffranchi, with his first of two, and Inglis scored later tries
to give the hosts a 22-4 halftime lead before Australia added five unanswered
tries in the second half.
Thurston was injured in Australia's 30-6 win over New Zealand last weekend
and had been confined to light training during the build-up to the match.
He was scratched a few hours before Sunday's match and replaced by Scott Prince, who kicked eight goals.
Drawing board
England captain Jamie Peacock said the lopsided scoreline indicates that his side has plenty of work to do.
"We were off the pace," said Peacock.
"It seemed that every time they got in our 20 they scored.
"If we want to progress in this tournament we have got to be better."
Australia captain Darren Lockyer said it was premature to suggest his side had the World Cup locked up.
"We have had two good wins but the World Cup is decided in the final and we have got to get there first," Lockyer said.
"It was tough in the first period. England were attacking but we held our line and that was the turning point."
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| Joel Monaghan scores a try [GALLO/GETTY] |
Australia safe
Elsewhere at the World Cup, backrower Simon Mannering scored two tries as
New Zealand trounced Papua New Guinea 48-6 Saturday, while Akuila Uate scored three tries and Jarryd Hayne added two as Fiji beat France 42-6.
Australia is 2-0 in Pool 1 and are through to the last four.
England and New Zealand are 1-1 and will also be in the semi-finals unless Papua New Guinea can pull off an extraordinary big win over Australia next weekend.
On Wednesday, Ireland plays Samoa at Parramatta in western Sydney and Scotland takes on Fiji at Gosford north of Sydney.
Wins by Samoa and Fiji would advance both teams to a qualifying playoff pool match November 10 at the Gold Coast, with that winner to be the fourth semi-finalist.
The semi-finals are set for the weekend of November 15-16.
The final takes place on November 22.
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