With their backstothewall, the seriously fractured Democratic Party (PD), and Silvio Berlusconi's People of Freedom Party (PDL) decided to bury their ideological differences and will now try to co-operate in a last-ditch attempt to remedy a social and economic crisis that threatened to get out of hand after an indecisive February election.
But it was real backs-to-the-wall time after they were pumped in Sydney and it was do-or-die stuff for Henry when they played the Wallabies in Auckland the following week.
Even Lampard's late strike was little more than Chelsea deserved, despite a brave backs-to-the-wall performance from Southend, who belied their position 56 places behind the Blues down in League One with a performance full of heart and determination.
Some specifically pointed to an October 5th cabinet meeting as the date when it first became known that the government intended to dollarize if its backs were placed against thewall.
SIFMA, the main trade organization for Wall Street, said that it backs a fiduciary standard and urges the Securities and Exchange Commission to propose one soon.