2000 end-of-year rugby union internationals

The 2000 end-of-year tests, known in the northern hemisphere as the 2000 Autumn Internationals, was a series of international rugby union matches played in November and December 2000. The hosts were Six Nations Championship countries England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland, Wales, and Southern Hemisphere side Argentina. Argentina also participated as a touring side, along with Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Romania, Samoa, South Africa and the USA.

France and New Zealand contested the Dave Gallaher Trophy for the first time, in a two-match series. New Zealand took a 1–0 series lead in the first match at the Stade de France in Paris, with France levelling the series after a 42–33 win in Marseille – the first ever test match in the Stade Vélodrome. New Zealand won the trophy on account of their higher aggregate score over the two matches.

The match between England and Australia saw the Six Nations champions play the Tri-Nations champions. England won thanks to an injury-time try by Dan Luger, and claimed the Cook Cup for the first time. It was England's first victory over Australia in the professional era.

Days later, England's players went on strike over a dispute with the Rugby Football Union over pay. This nearly led to coach Clive Woodward selecting a second-choice squad for the following weekend's match against Argentina, but the disagreement was ultimately resolved and the strike ended in time for the affected players to be selected.[1]

Matches

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Week 1

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Saturday 4 November 2000
15:00 GMT
Ireland  78–9  Japan
Try: Clohessy
Henderson
Hickie (3)
Howe (2)
Murphy
O'Driscoll (2)
Stringer
Con: O'Gara (10)
Pen: O'Gara
ReportPen: Hirose (3)
Lansdowne Road, Dublin
Attendance: 15,000
Referee: Nigel Whitehouse (Wales)

Saturday 4 November 2000
19:45 (18:45 GMT)
France  13–18  Australia
Try: Galthié
Con: Lamaison
Pen: Lamaison (2)
ReportPen: Burke (6)
Stade de France, Paris
Attendance: 68,000
Referee: Paul Honiss (New Zealand)

Saturday 4 November 2000
18:45 GMT
Scotland  53–6  United States
Try: Leslie (2)
Paterson
Pountney
Townsend (2)
Con: Townsend (4)
Pen: Townsend (5)
ReportPen: Wells (2)
Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh
Attendance: 35,638
Referee: Pablo Deluca (Argentina)
  • First test match between Scotland and the United States.

Week 2

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Saturday 11 November 2000
14:00 (13:00 GMT)
Italy  17–22  Canada
Try: Dallan
Pen: Mazzariol (3)
Pez
ReportTry: Wirachowski
Con: Barker
Pen: Barker (4)
Drop: Barker
Stadio Comunale Mario Battaglini, Rovigo
Attendance: 4,000
Referee: Didier Mené (France)

Saturday 11 November 2000
14:00 GMT
Scotland  9–30  Australia
Pen: Townsend (3)ReportTry: Burke
Latham
Roff
Con: Burke (3)
Pen: Burke (3)
Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh
Attendance: 64,103
Referee: Chris White (England)

Saturday 11 November 2000
16:00 GMT
Wales  50–6  Samoa
Try: Bateman
Gough
Taylor
Shane Williams (2)
penalty try
Con: Arwel Thomas (4)
Pen: Arwel Thomas (4)
ReportPen: Patu
Sanft
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Attendance: 65,000
Referee: Stuart Dickinson (Australia)

Saturday 11 November 2000
19:45 (18:45 GMT)
France  26–39  New Zealand
Try: Pelous
Bernat-Salles
Con: Lamaison (2)
Pen: Lamaison (4)
ReportTry: Cullen
Howlett
Con: Mehrtens
Pen: Mehrtens (9)
Stade de France, Paris
Attendance: 78,531
Referee: Wayne Erickson (Australia)

Sunday 12 November 2000
19:45 (22:45 GMT)
Argentina  33–37  South Africa
Try: Arbizu
Contepomi
Orengo
Con: Quesada (3)
Pen: Quesada (4)
ReportTry: Andrews
Fleck
Paulse (2)
Van Straaten
Con: Montgomery (3)
Pen: Van Straaten (2)
River Plate Stadium, Buenos Aires
Attendance: 60,000
Referee: Scott Young (Australia)

Week 3

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Saturday 18 November 2000
14:00 (13:00 GMT)
Italy  37–17  Romania
Try: Caione (2)
Lo Cicero
Martin
Pez
Raineri
Troncon
Con: Preo
ReportTry: Ghioc
Septar
Con: Mitu (2)
Pen: Mitu
Stadio Ciro Vigorito, Benevento
Attendance: 3,260
Referee: Joël Jutge (France)

Saturday 18 November 2000
14:30 GMT
England  22–19  Australia
Try: Luger 80+8' c
Con: Wilkinson 80+9'
Pen: Wilkinson 7', 13', 27', 55'
Drop: Wilkinson 40+2'
ReportTry: Burke 42' c
Con: Burke 43'
Pen: Burke 19', 23', 46'
Twickenham Stadium, London
Attendance: 74,000
Referee: André Watson (South Africa)

Saturday 18 November 2000
19:45 (18:45 GMT)
France  42–33  New Zealand
Try: Galthié
Garbajosa
Magne
Con: Lamaison (3)
Pen: Lamaison (5)
Drop: Lamaison (2)
ReportTry: Howlett
Marshall
Slater
Con: Mehrtens (3)
Pen: Mehrtens (4)
Stade Vélodrome, Marseille
Attendance: 76,000
Referee: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa)

Sunday 19 November 2000
14:00 GMT
Ireland  18–28  South Africa
Try: Hickie
Howe
Con: O'Gara
Pen: O'Gara (2)
ReportTry: Krige
Van der Westhuizen
Venter
Con: Montgomery
Van Straaten
Pen: Montgomery (2)
Van Straaten
Lansdowne Road, Dublin
Attendance: 50,000
Referee: Steve Lander (England)

Week 4

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Saturday 25 November 2000
14:30
Italy  19–56  New Zealand
Try: Lo Cicero
Saviozzi
Pen: Pez (3)
ReportTry: Cribb (2)
Howlett
Marshall
Reihana (2)
Spencer
Tiatia
Con: Spencer (5)
Pen: Spencer (2)
Stadio Marassi, Genova
Attendance: 44,500
Referee: Robert Davies (Wales)

Saturday 25 November 2000
14:30
England  19–0  Argentina
Try: Cohen
Con: Wilkinson
Pen: Wilkinson (3)
Report
Twickenham Stadium, London
Attendance: 60,000
Referee: Alan Lewis (Ireland)

Sunday 26 November 2000
15:00 GMT
Wales  13–23  South Africa
Try: Gibbs
Con: Neil Jenkins
Pen: Neil Jenkins
Arwel Thomas
ReportTry: Van der Westhuizen, Paulse
Con: Van Straaten (2)
Pen: Van Straaten (3)
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Attendance: 72,500
Referee: Steve Walsh (New Zealand)

Week 5

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Saturday 2 December 2000
14:30 GMT
England  25–17  South Africa
Try: Greenwood
Con: Wilkinson
Pen: Wilkinson (6)
ReportTry: Van Straaten
Pen: Van Straaten (4)
Twickenham Stadium, London
Attendance: 70,200
Referee: David McHugh (Ireland)

References

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  1. ^ "England rugby stars on strike". Retrieved 27 November 2014.