Rugby: Australia hammer USA

WELLINGTON: Australia rebounded from their shock defeat to Ireland with a comprehensive 67-5 bonus-point victory over the US to get their World Cup campaign firmly back on track. In a must-win match after last week’s 15-6 defeat, the Wallabies withstood a gallant first-half display by a largely second-string US side but eventually ran in 11 tries as their superior physicality and slick handling shone through in the second half. Adam Ashley-Cooper bagged a hat-trick while Anthony Fainga’a (two), Robert Horne, Rocky Elsom, Kurtley Beale, Drew Mitchell, Pat McCabe and Radike Samo all also crossed for tries.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 24^th,  2011.