The 2008 Australia rugby union tour was a series of seven matches played by the Australia national rugby union team in November–December 2008. The tour was preceded by a match against All Blacks for the Bledisloe Cup and closed with a match against Barbarian FC.
Matches
DateHome teamScoreAway teamVenueStatus1 November19-14Hong Kong Stadium, So Kon Po, Hong KongTest match, Bledisloe Cup8 November20-30Stadio Euganeo, PaduaTest match15 November14-28Twickenham Stadium, LondonTest match, Cook Cup22 November13-18Stade de France, Saint-Denis, ParisTest match, Trophée des Bicentenaires29 November21-18Millennium Stadium, CardiffTest match, James Bevan Trophy3 DecemberBarbarian F.C. 11-18 XVWembley Stadium, LondonThe Final Challenge, Olympic Rugby Centenary Celebration Match, Cornwall Cup
Bledisloe Cup match A first match was played in Hong Kong against New Zealand. It was the fourth match between the two teams. Winning the match, the All Blacks tied the series (2–2) and retained the Bledisloe Cup.
New Zealand Australia Isaia ToeavaFB15FBAdam Ashley-CooperHosea GearW14WPeter HynesConrad SmithC13CRyan Cross Dan CarterC12CStirling Mortlock (capt.)Sitiveni SivivatuW11WDrew Mitchell Stephen DonaldFH10FHMatt Giteau Jimmy CowanSH9SHLuke BurgessRodney So'oialoN88N8Richard Brown(capt.) Richie McCaw F7FGeorge Smith Jerome KainoF6FDean MummAli WilliamsL5LNathan Sharpe Brad ThornL4LMark Chisholm Neemia TialataP3PAl Baxter Andrew HoreH2HStephen MooreTony WoodcockP1PBenn Robinson Replacements Keven MealamuH16Tatafu Polota-Nau Greg SomervilleP17PMatt Dunning Anthony BoricL18LPhil Waugh Adam ThomsonN819FDavid Pocock Piri WeepuSH20Sam Cordingley Ma'a NonuFH21CBerrick Barnes Cory JaneFB22Lachie Turner Coaches Graham Henry Robbie Deans
In Italy
Against Italy, the Wallabies suffered the strong play of Italian forwards and the strong defence of "azzurri", winning the match also in the last 20 minutes, thanks to a try from Quade Cooper.
Italy AustraliaAndrea MasiFB15FBAdam Ashley-CooperKaine RobertsonW14WLachie TurnerGonzalo CanaleC13CStirling Mortlock (capt.)Gonzalo GarciaC12CTimana Tahu Mirco BergamascoW11WDigby Ioane Andrea MarcatoFH10FHBerrick Barnes Pablo CanavosioSH9SHLuke Burgess(capt.) Sergio Parisse N88N8Richard BrownMauro BergamascoF7FPhil Waugh Josh SoleF6FDean MummMarco BortolamiL5LHugh McMeniman Carlo Del FavaL4LMark ChisholmCarlos NietoP3PMatt Dunning Leonardo GhiraldiniH2HStephen Moore Salvatore PeruginiP1PBen Alexander Replacements Fabio OngaroH16Tatafu Polota-Nau Matías AgüeroP17PSekope Kepu Tommaso Reato 18LWycliff Palu Alessandro ZanniF19David Pocock Giulio ToniolattiSH20FHMatt Giteau Luciano OrqueraFH21CQuade Cooper Matteo Pratichetti 22James O'Connor Coaches Nick Mallett Robbie Deans
Against England England offered a strong opposition in the first half, especially between the 35th and 39th minutes, and scored a try with Nick Easter and a penalty with Danny Cipriani, but the Aussies were always ahead thanks to the kicks of Giteau and Martlock, until a try of Adam Ashley-Cooper closed the match.
England AustraliaDelon ArmitageFB15FBAdam Ashley-CooperPaul SackeyW14WPeter HynesJamie NoonC13CRyan CrossRiki FluteyC12CStirling Mortlock (capt.)Ugo MonyeW11WDrew Mitchell Danny CiprianiFH10FHMatt Giteau Danny CareSH9SHLuke Burgess Nick EasterN88N8Richard Brown Tom ReesF7FGeorge SmithTom CroftF6FHugh McMeniman Tom PalmerL5LNathan Sharpe(capt.) Steve Borthwick L4LMark Chisholm Phil VickeryP3PAl Baxter Lee MearsH2HStephen Moore 66' Andrew SheridanP1PBenn Robinson Replacements Dylan HartleyH16FTatafu Polota-Nau 32–42' Matt StevensP17Matt Dunning Simon ShawL18LDean Mumm James HaskellN819N8Wycliff Palu Michael LipmanF20Sam Cordingley Harry EllisSH21Quade Cooper Toby FloodFH22Digby Ioane Coaches Brian Ashton Robbie Deans
Against France As in the two previous matches, Wallabies obtained victory thanks to a better second half. The try of Peter Hynes and a kick after France reached the 13–13 in the beginning of the second Half. On French Sie, Skrela missed five kicks.
France AustraliaMaxime MedardFB15FBDrew MitchellJulien MalzieuW14WPeter Hynes Yannick JauzionC13CAdam Ashley-Cooper Benoit BabyC12CStirling Mortlock (capt.)Cédric HeymansW11WDigby Ioane David SkrelaFH10FHMatt Giteau Sebastien Tillous-BordeSH9SHLuke Burgess Imanol HarinordoquyN88N8Wycliff Palu Fulgence OuedraogoF7FGeorge Smith Thierry DusautoirF6FDean Mumm (capt.) Lionel Nallet L5LNathan SharpeSébastien ChabalL4LHugh McMeniman Nicolas MasP3PAl Baxter Dimitri SzarzewskiH2HStephen MooreLionel FaureP1PBen Alexander Replacements Benoit LecoulsP16Tatafu Polota-Nau Benjamin KayserH17PSekope Kepu Romain Millo-ChluskiL18N8Mark Chisholm Louis PicamolesF19David Pocock Julien TomasSH20SHSam Cordingley Damien TrailleC21CQuade Cooper Alexis PalissonW22Lote Tuqiri Coaches Marc Lièvremont Robbie Deans
Against Wales
Wales AustraliaLee ByrneFB15FBDrew MitchellMark JonesW14WPeter Hynes Tom ShanklinC13CRyan Cross Jamie RobertsC12CStirling Mortlock (capt.) Shane WilliamsW11WDigby IoaneStephen JonesFH10FHMatt GiteauGareth CooperSH9SHLuke Burgess Andy PowellN88N8Richard BrownMartyn WilliamsF7FPhil Waugh (capt.) Ryan Jones F6FHugh McMeniman Alun Wyn JonesL5LNathan SharpeIan GoughL4LMark ChisholmAdam R. JonesP3PAl BaxterMatthew ReesH2HStephen Moore Gethin JenkinsP1PBenn Robinson Replacements Richard Hibbard 16HAdam Freier John Yapp 17Matt DunningLuke Charteris 18FDean Mumm Dafydd JonesN819FGeorge Smith Martin Roberts 20Sam CordingleyJames Hook 21CQuade Cooper Andrew BishopC22WLote Tuqiri Coaches Warren Gatland Robbie Deans
Final match with Barbarians Australia was approached by the British Olympic Association to play the Barbarians at Wembley Stadium on 3 December 2008. The match formed part of the BOA's programme of events to celebrate the centenary of the first London Olympic Games where Australia defeated a Great Britain (Cornwall) side in the final 32 – 3. In 1908 France were the defending Olympic champions, but when they withdrew from the event, leaving just Australia and Great Britain to contest the gold medal, it was then County champions Cornwall who took to the field to represent the host nation. Cornwall had already been defeated in Australia's earlier 31-match tour. Cornwall's 1908 contribution was also further recognised by the presentation of the Cornwall Cup to the winning captain at Wembley, with the players of the respective sides receiving gold or silver commemorative medals. The game was the first rugby union fixture to take place in the new Wembley Stadium, the old stadium having been last used for Wales' last gasp 32–31 victory over England in the then Five Nations in 1999.
Barbarians Australia XV Percy MontgomeryFB15FBJames O'Connor Joe RokocokoW14WLote Tuqiri Rico GearC13CRyan Cross Jean de VilliersC12CAdam Ashley-CooperBryan HabanaW11WDigby IoaneFrans SteynFH10FHQuade Cooper Fourie du PreezSH9SHBrett Sheehan Schalk BurgerN88N8Richard Brown Richie McCawF7FGeorge SmithJerry CollinsF6FDean Mumm Johann MullerL5LHugh McMenimanBakkies BothaL4LMark Chisholm Census JohnstonP3PMatt Dunning John SmitH2HTatafu Polota-Nau Federico PucciarielloP1PSekope Kepu Replacements Mark ReganR16RAdam Freier Rodney BlakeR17RBen Alexander Chris JackR18Peter Kimlin Nick KösterR19RDavid Pocock George GreganR20RLuke Burgess Ollie SmithR21RLachie Turner Shane WilliamsR22RDrew Mitchell Coaches Robbie Deans
References
See also 2008 end-of-year rugby union tests