Foley breaks Scottish hearts

Bernard Foley broke Scottish hearts with a penalty in the dying moments at Twickenham to send Australia through to a semi-final against Argentina after what was quite possibly the greatest World Cup match ever. Scotland thought they had done the impossible when Mark Bennett’s intercept-try put them ahead with just minutes left but it was not to be for this brilliant young side Vern Cotter has created. But my goodness can their nation be proud. The penalty itself, for accidental offside, was harsh. As was this defeat.

Foley, England’s executioner here two weeks ago, was far from his best yesterday but as with all world class players, the game always seems to revolve around him. Cotter will have been furious with how his side started the match. A silly infringement at the ruck from their kick-off allowed the Wallabies early territory and Adam Ashley-Cooper scored as a direct result of that minutes later.

Foley should have scored himself but went for an unnecessary offload with the try-line at his mercy, but the Scots never cleared their lines and Ashley-Cooper was put over in the corner for his 34th try in 112 Tests after Tevita Kuridrani had stepped inside to break the Scottish line. Foley missed the conversion but the nature of that try — Australia at their fluid best, punishing basic errors — will have had Scotland fans fearing a cricket score, but they responded magnificently.

Powerful carrying from their pack, with No 8 David Denton to the fore, brought them to Australia’s 22 and when the Wallabies were pinged for putting hands in a ruck captain Greig Laidlaw reduced the deficit to two points within minutes of Ashley-Cooper’s try.

And it would get better for Scotland. Their ball retention through the forwards was again superb and when it brought them to the try line an Australia defence that had been so good against Wales and England crumbled, allowing Peter Horne to pick and go and dive over under the posts unchallenged. Australia were visibly rattled.

Foley inexplicably knocked-on fielding a bread-and-butter kick and from the resulting scrum the Wallabies were penalised again, allowing Laidlaw to stretch the lead to 13-5. Scotland were in dreamland. It could have got even better had Bennett not fumbled on the overlap and he was soon made to regret that as Australia rallied to score their second try.

Their basics may have let them down in the first-half but the Wallabies backline again showed how lethal they can be as Scotland were stretched from one side of the pitch to the other, allowing space for the predatory Drew Mitchell to score in the left corner.

Foley missed another tough conversion and Laidlaw showed him how it should be done minutes later, slotting over after another penalty awarded at the scrum. The Wallabies were clearly lacking the leadership, presence and sheer class of injured duo David Pocock and Israel Folau but captain Stephen Moore stood up when it mattered, opting for the line-out in the corner on the stroke of half-time when an easy three points were on offer. His gamble paid off when Michael Hooper scored off the back of a rolling maul from that line-out, but Foley again pulled his kick wide from the right touchline, meaning Scotland went into the break 16-15 ahead after a pulsating first 40 minutes.

The drama showed no signs of abating as the second period kicked off, with a yellow card and a try coming within three minutes. Unfortunately for Scotland, it was they who were on the receiving end. Australia soon rumbled over for their fifth try through Kuridrani but Laidlaw got Scotland to within a score with another penalty. And score they did as Bennett intercepted prop James Slipper’s criminally telegraphed pass in midfield.

But is was not to be as replacement prop Jon Welsh was pinged by referee and now Scotland’s public enemy No 1 Craig Joubert, who refused to go to the TMO to check his decision despite how pivotal it was. That he ran off the pitch at the final whistle too does not reflect well. There are no northern hemisphere sides in the semi-finals for the first time in World Cup history but Scotland can certainly hold their heads higher than any of their Six Nations counterparts.

Australia will need to improve against Argentina but will need a couple of days to draw breath first. What a match. Meanwhile, Argentina turned on the power and class to bury Ireland 43-20 in their quarter-final at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff yesterday. — SportsMail.