Saturday, 21 August 1999

United States 8 England 106

England ruthlessly exposed the USA's shortcomings in their World Cup warm-up at Twickenham, crushing the tourists 106-8 for their biggest win at the venue and their second biggest in their history.

Veteran centre Jeremy Guscott led the way with four scores as England rapidly extended their 31-8 half-time lead with Jonny Wilkinson hitting 13 conversions.

The USA side found themselves totally outclassed as England found gaps across the field, Guscott galloping in from long-range for all four of his scores, while full-back Matt Perry, wing Dan Luger and flanker Neil Back each grabbed a brace of scores in front of a desperately low Twickenham crowd of around 15,000.

The game also marked the return of former England captain Lawrence Dallaglio although he has still to face a RFU disciplinary to answer a disrepute charge.

England coach Clive Woodward had wanted a "full-on" game for his players as they began the final six-week stage of their World Cup preparations.

The opposition were unable to give them a real test, however, despite going 3-0 ahead through a penalty from scrum-half Kevin Dalzell before England opened their account in the 16th minute through flanker Richard Hill.

After that, the floodgates opened wide as England piled up the points as the Americans tried unsuccessfully to limit the damage, the only respite being the visitors' sole try in the 33rd-minute from prop George Sucher.  Fittingly it was Guscott who brought up England's first century at Twickenham, sprinting clear from inside his own half, and Wilkinson converted with the game's final kick.

After sizing up the opposition in the first period, Perry and Guscott continued the tries spree before skipper Johnson recorded only his second touchdown in England colours.

The only setback for England was a knee injury sustained by Perry which forced him off on the hour, yet England were now into an irresistible rhythm and further tries followed from Guscott, Back, Greening, Luger, de Glanville and two more via the imperious Guscott.

USA coach Jack Clark said after the game:  "I feel like we were hit with a lethal cocktail:  one part world-class team, one part perfect form, and one part something to prove."

The Teams:

United States:  1 Ray Lehner, 2 Tom Billups, 3 George Sucher, 4 Luke Gross, 5 Alec Parker, 6 Dave Hodges, 7 Tasi Mo'unga, 8 Dan Lyle (c), 9 Kevin Dalzell, 10 David Niu, 11 Vaea Anitoni, 12 Juan Grobler, 13 Tomasi Takau, 14 Tini Saulala, 15 Kurt Shuman
Reserves:  Kirk Khasigian, Marc L'Huillier, Rob Lumkong, Chris Morrow, Shaun Paga, Mark Williams
Unused:  Britt Howard

England:  1 Graham Rowntree, 2 Phil Greening, 3 Phil Vickery, 4 Danny Grewcock, 5 Martin Johnson (c), 6 Neil Back, 7 Richard Hill, 8 Lawrence Dallaglio, 9 Matt Dawson, 10 Jonny Wilkinson, 11 Austin Healey, 12 Phil De Glanville, 13 Jerry Guscott, 14 Dan Luger, 15 Matt Perry
Reserves:  Neil McCarthy, Will Green, Tim Rodber, Tim Stimpson, Trevor Woodman
Unused:  Mike Catt, Paul Grayson

Referee:  Paul Honiss (NZ)

Points Scorers:

United States
Tries:  Sucher G. 1
Pen K.:  Dalzell K. 1

England
Tries:  Back N.A. 2, Dawson M.J.S. 1, De Glanville P.R. 1, Greening P.B.T. 1, Guscott J.C. 4, Hill R.A. 1, Johnson M.O. 1, Luger D.D. 2, Perry M.B. 2, Penalty Try 1
Conv:  Wilkinson J.P. 13

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