2008 Australia rugby union tour

November 2017 March 2014 August 2025 Robbie Deans Stirling Mortlock 6 4 0 2 5 3 0 2 NZL 1 0 0 1 ITA 1 1 0 0 ENG 1 1 0 0 FRA 1 1 0 0 WAL 1 0 0 1 2006 2009 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 NovemberNZL19-14Rugby union: New Zealand beats Australia to Bledisloe Cup the Guardian 1 November 2008 https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2008/nov/01/rugbyunion-newzealandrugbyunionteam#:~:text=New%20Zealand%20beat%20Australia%2019-14%20in%20their%20Bledisloe%20Cup,another%20try%20for%20Richie%20McCaw. 17 August 2025AUSHong Kong Stadium, So Kon Po, Hong KongTest match, Bledisloe Cup8 NovemberITA20-30AUSStadio Euganeo, PaduaTest match15 NovemberENG14-28AUSTwickenham Stadium, LondonTest match, Cook Cup22 NovemberFRA13-18AUSStade de France, Saint-Denis, ParisTest match, Trophée des Bicentenaires29 NovemberWAL21-18AUSMillennium Stadium, CardiffTest match, James Bevan Trophy3 DecemberBarbarian F.C. 11-18AUS 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. report 1 November 2008 NZL 19–14 AUS So Kon Po, Hong Kong Alan Lewis (Ireland) 40,000 Sivivatu 41'McCaw 82' Mitchell 8'Mitchell 25' Giteau 8', 25' Carter 12', 23', 31' 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 NZL Graham Henry Robbie Deans NZL In Italy Against Italy, the Wallabies suffered the strong play of Italian forwards and the strong defence of "azzurri",January 2025 winning the match also in the last 20 minutes, thanks to a try from Quade Cooper. report 8 November 2008 ITA 20–30 AUS Stadio Euganeo, Padua Bryce Lawrence (New Zealand) 30,000 Mi. Bergamasco 29' Turner 7' Cooper 71' Giteau 72' Marcato 6' 11' Orquera 52' 59' Mortlock 2' Giteau 17' 38' 47' 50' 78' Italy AustraliaAndrea MasiFB15FBAdam Ashley-CooperKaine RobertsonW14WLachie TurnerGonzalo CanaleC13CStirling Mortlock (capt.)Gonzalo GarciaC12CTimana Tahu 62Mirco BergamascoW11WDigby Ioane45 Andrea MarcatoFH10FHBerrick Barnes 1361 Pablo CanavosioSH9SHLuke Burgess(capt.) Sergio Parisse N88N8Richard BrownMauro BergamascoF7FPhil Waugh73 Josh SoleF6FDean MummMarco BortolamiL5LHugh McMeniman 73Carlo Del FavaL4LMark ChisholmCarlos NietoP3PMatt Dunning50 Leonardo GhiraldiniH2HStephen Moore50 Salvatore PeruginiP1PBen Alexander 73 Replacements 50 Fabio OngaroH16Tatafu Polota-Nau50 Matías AgüeroP17PSekope Kepu 43Tommaso Reato 18LWycliff Palu 7373 Alessandro ZanniF19David Pocock61 Giulio ToniolattiSH20FHMatt Giteau 1345 Luciano OrqueraFH21CQuade Cooper 62Matteo Pratichetti 22James O'Connor Coaches RSA Nick Mallett Robbie Deans NZL 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. report 15 November 2008 ENG 14–28 AUS Twickenham, London Marius Jonker (South Africa) 81,000 Easter 35' Aslhey-Cooper 68' Giteau 69' Cipriani 39' 50' Giteau 2' 6' 27' 31' 53' 58'Mortlock 64' Armitage 21' England AustraliaDelon ArmitageFB15FBAdam Ashley-CooperPaul SackeyW14WPeter HynesJamie NoonC13CRyan CrossRiki FluteyC12CStirling Mortlock (capt.)Ugo MonyeW11WDrew Mitchell71 Danny CiprianiFH10FHMatt Giteau66 Danny CareSH9SHLuke Burgess59 Nick EasterN88N8Richard Brown 4564 Tom ReesF7FGeorge SmithTom CroftF6FHugh McMeniman 8064 Tom PalmerL5LNathan Sharpe(capt.) Steve Borthwick L4LMark Chisholm 6554 66 Phil VickeryP3PAl Baxter70 Lee MearsH2HStephen Moore34 42 66' Andrew SheridanP1PBenn Robinson Replacements 70 Dylan HartleyH16FTatafu Polota-Nau 80 32–42' 54 Matt StevensP17Matt Dunning64 Simon ShawL18LDean Mumm 65 59 James HaskellN819N8Wycliff Palu 45 64 Michael LipmanF20Sam Cordingley66 Harry EllisSH21Quade Cooper71 Toby FloodFH22Digby Ioane Coaches ENG Brian Ashton Robbie Deans NZL 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.January 2025 report 22 November 2008 FRA 13–18 AUS Stade de France, Saint-Dennis Craig Joubert (South Africa) 70,000 Penalty try 39' Moore 31' Hynes 57' Skrela 40' Giteau 32' Skrela 48' Giteau 28' 74' Medard 51' France AustraliaMaxime MedardFB15FBDrew MitchellJulien MalzieuW14WPeter Hynes 78 Yannick JauzionC13CAdam Ashley-Cooper 75 35 Benoit BabyC12CStirling Mortlock (capt.)Cédric HeymansW11WDigby Ioane75 80 David SkrelaFH10FHMatt Giteau 77 Sebastien Tillous-BordeSH9SHLuke Burgess 64Imanol HarinordoquyN88N8Wycliff Palu 59Fulgence OuedraogoF7FGeorge Smith 69 Thierry DusautoirF6FDean Mumm 42 (capt.) Lionel Nallet L5LNathan SharpeSébastien ChabalL4LHugh McMeniman 58 Nicolas MasP3PAl Baxter 56 Dimitri SzarzewskiH2HStephen MooreLionel FaureP1PBen Alexander 64 Replacements 58 Benoit LecoulsP16Tatafu Polota-Nau 56 Benjamin KayserH17PSekope Kepu 64 42 Romain Millo-ChluskiL18N8Mark Chisholm 59 69 Louis PicamolesF19David Pocock 77 Julien TomasSH20SHSam Cordingley 64 35 Damien TrailleC21CQuade Cooper 75 78 Alexis PalissonW22Lote Tuqiri Coaches FRA Marc Lièvremont Robbie Deans NZL Against Wales report 29 November 2008 WAL 21–18 AUS Millennium, Cardiff Alan Lewis (Ireland) 74,000 S. Williams 3', Byrne 30' Chisolm 13', Ioane 80' S. Jones 31 Gietau 14' S. Jones 28', 78' Gietau 46' S. Jones 67' Giteau 24' Wales AustraliaLee ByrneFB15FBDrew MitchellMark JonesW14WPeter Hynes 33Tom ShanklinC13CRyan Cross 17 Jamie RobertsC12CStirling Mortlock (capt.) 2Shane WilliamsW11WDigby IoaneStephen JonesFH10FHMatt GiteauGareth CooperSH9SHLuke Burgess 61 Andy PowellN88N8Richard BrownMartyn WilliamsF7FPhil Waugh 62(capt.) Ryan Jones F6FHugh McMeniman 69Alun Wyn JonesL5LNathan SharpeIan GoughL4LMark ChisholmAdam R. JonesP3PAl BaxterMatthew ReesH2HStephen Moore 27 37 69Gethin JenkinsP1PBenn Robinson Replacements Richard Hibbard 16HAdam Freier 69John Yapp 17Matt DunningLuke Charteris 18FDean Mumm 69 61 Dafydd JonesN819FGeorge Smith 62Martin Roberts 20Sam CordingleyJames Hook 21CQuade Cooper 2 17 Andrew BishopC22WLote Tuqiri 33 Coaches NZL Warren Gatland Robbie Deans NZL 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. report 3 December 2008 Barbarians 11–18 Australia XV Wembley Stadium, London Chris White 44,000 Collins 61 Tuqiri 12' Turner 77' O' Connor 13' Montgomery 34' 38' O' Connoer 19' 22' Barbarians Australia XV 40 Percy MontgomeryFB15FBJames O'Connor 64Joe RokocokoW14WLote Tuqiri 50 Rico GearC13CRyan Cross 57Jean de VilliersC12CAdam Ashley-CooperBryan HabanaW11WDigby IoaneFrans SteynFH10FHQuade Cooper 59 Fourie du PreezSH9SHBrett Sheehan 50Schalk BurgerN88N8Richard Brown 46Richie McCawF7FGeorge SmithJerry CollinsF6FDean Mumm 50 Johann MullerL5LHugh McMenimanBakkies BothaL4LMark Chisholm 51 Census JohnstonP3PMatt Dunning 46John SmitH2HTatafu Polota-Nau 46 32 Federico PucciarielloP1PSekope Kepu Replacements 59 Mark ReganR16RAdam Freier 46 32 Rodney BlakeR17RBen Alexander 46 50 Chris JackR18Peter Kimlin 51 Nick KösterR19RDavid Pocock 46 59 George GreganR20RLuke Burgess 50 50 Ollie SmithR21RLachie Turner 57 40 Shane WilliamsR22RDrew Mitchell 64 Coaches Robbie Deans NZL References See also 2008 end-of-year rugby union tests Category:2008 rugby union tours 2008 2008 2008 2008 2008 2008 Category:2008–09 in European rugby union Category:2008 in Australian rugby union Category:2008–09 in Irish rugby union Category:2008–09 in English rugby union Category:2008–09 in Welsh rugby union Category:2008–09 in Scottish rugby union Category:2008–09 in French rugby union Category:2008–09 in Italian rugby union 2008 2008 2008 2008 2008 2008