England ripe for a thrashing

Now the bad news — and it is exceedingly bad news. The defending world champions were so appallingly poor that the South Africa team who watched the game from their team hotel could have cracked a few ribs, such would have been the extent of their laughter.

In just five days the Springboks, who face Samoa today, take on England in what is perceived to be the deciding game in Group A. On last night's evidence it will take a miracle for this England team to prevent a heavy defeat.

If the first half was bad, the second half was lamentable. While New Zealand and Australia compiled cricket scores against lowly opposition earlier in the day, England finished their game on the back foot.

In scoring only three tries, they even failed to secure a bonus point.

To make matters worse, England may now lose captain Phil Vickery, having probably already lost playmaker Jonny Wilkinson to the ankle ligament injury that kept him out of yesterday's fiasco.

Vickery is expected to be cited for a trip on American centre Paul Emerick which went unpunished by referee Jonathan Kaplan. New Zealand citing commissioner Steve Hines may have other ideas, which may lead to a ban.

The Webb Ellis Trophy stood glittering by the tunnel as the England players, led out by Josh Lewsey on the occasion of his 50th cap, ran out to launch their defence of the World Cup.

It was a timely reminder that, for all their pre-tournament problems, England are still champions. The problem, however, was that the spirited USA had not read the script.

After losing both warm-up games against France last month, England needed to deliver a confidence-boosting thrashing.

While the England squad have been promised a £2million bonus should they retain the World Cup, the Americans — with only four playing in Europe among a motley crew of professionals and amateurs — are on a £50- a-day allowance.

Although England's 106-8 win over the USA came in 1999, their 3rd XV's 51-3 victory in the Churchill Cup three months ago and the fact that the bookmakers had the English down as 500-1 on to win the game,gives the result some perspective.

So, in an old coalmining town in French region of Picardy, England went to work. An early Olly Barkley penalty was replied to in kind by American captain Mike Hercus. Then came a moment of controversy. Hercus intercepted a pass from Ben Kay intended for Lewsey, ran half the length of the field and passed to Emerick.

The outside-centre was then felled by what appeared to be a blatant trip by Vickery. Although the England captain's misdemeanour was missed by referee Kaplan, Eagles coach Peter Thorburn was visibly angry.

England continued to labour. A second Barkley penalty took back the lead and for much of the first half they camped inside the American 22-metre line without much effect — until inside-centre Vahafolau Esikia was sent to the sin bin for using hands in the ruck.

Barkley converted the resulting penalty and England finally crossed the American line when a Mike Catt chip to the corner gave Jason Robinson the chance to score. It had taken them nearly 35 minutes to produce a try.

Barkley scored England's second try in the dying seconds of the first half after Ben Kay had provided the final pass following an attack started by a Lewsey burst. The second half began poorly. England's first two acts were a kick-off from Barkley that failed to travel 10 metres and then a knock-on from Mark Cueto.

American scrum-half Chad Erskine thought he had scored his country's first try of the event in the 48th minute, only to be called back for a knock on.

Moments later, England finally produced some quality. Andrew Sheridan broke clear to produce a bullocking run.

Then Tom Rees took a quick tap from a penalty and ran through three challenges to touch down, his first international try confirmed by Australian TV match official Stuart Dickinson. Surely the floodgates would open now.

Instead, England still made hard work of it and the crowd reacted by producing the dreaded Mexican wave — perhaps with more passion than was being served up out on the pitch.

Just after the hour, England head coach Brian Ashton, who sat grim faced throughout the game, threw on the cavalry.

Vickery, Catt, Simon Shaw and Mark Regan all went off and on came Matt Stevens,Andy Farrell, Martin Corry and George Chuter but by then the rot had truly set in.

Lawrence Dallaglio was yellow carded with five minutes remaining for killing the ball. From the resulting tap penalty American reserve prop Matekitonga Moeakiola barrelled his way over the English line to be greeted by the loudest cheer of the night.

With the conversion successful, America had drawn the second half 7-7 with England.

It took a man from Park City Haggis rugby club, Utah, winning his first international cap,to complete a truly miserable night for English rugby.