Sport 12-11-2001 Rugby League: Great Britain 20 Australia 12 who: Great Britain Rugby League team what: Beat Australia 20-12 where: McAlpine Stadium, HUDDERSFIELD when: Yesterday snippet: "A match-winning performance from Paul Sculthorpe, amid a host of Poms playing above themselves, set up a richly deserved if almost entirely unexpected victory in the first Test," reports Dave Hadfield in The Independent. In the second half, when Adam MacDougall scored Australia`s second try in six minutes, "the dominant mood of a 21,758 crowd was resignation," says The Guardian`s Andy Wilson, who admits he would have been happy to see Great Britain lose with dignity, such is the "crisis of confidence" which has been "hanging over the game in this country roughly since rugby union turned professional in 1995". "History dictates that Australia will go on to retain the Ashes," says Christopher Irvine in The Times, "but this is no time for pessimism after a titanic achievement... The key, though, is to win in Bolton next Saturday or Wigan seven days later and finally to lay to rest one of sport`s longest-running bogeys." "This incredible, blood-stirring victory put us within sight of rugby league`s Ashes for the first time in 31 years," agrees The Sun`s Phil Thomas. "Everywhere you looked were heroes who wrecked the Roos," he writes, "but none more than Paul Sculthorpe, who roared over for two majestic tries that broke the world champions` hearts." [... more]

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