Australia will be out to spoil England’s World Cup

Wallabies prop forward James Slipper says that Australia want to end England dream of Rugby World Cup glory in home soil next year as payback for England’s World Cup victory in 2003.

England and Australia meet this weekend for the last time before the Rugby World Cup where they will face each other again as they are in the same pool.

England have not lost to Australia in the Rugby World Cup since the 1991 World Cup final as England beat Australia in the 1995 quarter final, the 2003 final and in the 2007 quarter final.

In 2003 Jonny Wilkinson kicked a drop goal in extra time to put England 20-17 ahead in the World Cup final with seconds left on the clock. England held on to win and become world cup champions.

Saturday’s match will take place less than a year ahead of their pool world cup rematch and the Test will be both sides final international of 2014.

Slipper just over a year old when Australia beat England in the 1991 final and just 14 when England beat Australia in the 2003 Rugby world Cup final but the memory remains vivid for the prop.

“I was pretty young but it was extremely disappointing, I thought we had it in the bag,” said Slipper.

“The brilliance of Jonny Wilkinson to steal the show, in Australia, was hard to take and I don’t think there’s one Australian rugby fan who has forgotten it.”

Slipper added,”It was a long time ago but we’ll meet again next year in the World Cup pool of death so hopefully we can make amends.”

“Would we like to spoil England’s party? Oh yes, that would be great.”

“It’s going to be tough to beat England at Twickenham in a World Cup but to put a bit of revenge on them for 2003 would be great.”

New Zealand’s triumph on home soil in 2011 means there are now three teams to have been crowned world champions on two occasions — the All Blacks, South Africa and Australia.

While New Zealand and South Africa are the favourites for World Cup glory next year, Australia are more of an outside bet to become the first nation to win a third World Cup title.

However, Slipper said: “Every Australian knows it, everyone wants to do it – we’d love to win the World Cup and to be the first country to win three would be amazing.”

“You know Australians, we like to back the underdog.”

“I’m sure we are the underdogs going into the World Cup but we know we’re doing the work, training hard and we’ve got that goal between the whole squad that we want to win it.

“We want to be the first country to win three. For us that’s our main priority and playing against England this weekend is a good test to see where we’re at.”