Australia v England LIVE rugby: Result and reaction as England win deciding Test
Follow live updates as England beat Australia in a huge series decider at the Sydney Cricket Ground
England outwitted and outfought an error-prone Australia 21-17 to win their July series 2-, a second success for northern hemisphere rugby after Ireland’s earlier triumph over the All Blacks.
Young guns Freddie Steward and Marcus Smith scored the tries and England’s streetwise pack bossed the breakdown as coach Eddie Jones masterminded a second series victory over his own country after their 3-0 sweep in 2016.
Australia scored tries through Tom Wright and Folau Fainga’a in front of a sellout crowd of 43,274 at the Sydney Cricket Ground, but the home side’s accuracy deserted them too frequently at crucial moments.
Australia won the opening test 30-28 in Perth but England struck back with a 25-17 victory in Brisbane to take the series to Saturday’s decider.
Follow live reaction from the Australia vs England series decider below:
New Zealand 0-5 Ireland, 12 minutes
An Ireland knock-on will bring the first scrum of the evening, and the All Blacks opt to scrum again when Dan Sheehan removes his brake foot too soon and is free-kicked.
Missed penalty! New Zealand 0-5 Ireland, 10 minutes
Crikey. That’s very out of character for Jordie Barrett at a ground he knows so well, pushing it to the right from pretty much bang in front. Perhaps he hoped for a gust of wind that never quite caught hold of the ball? In any case, three points gone.
New Zealand 0-5 Ireland, 9 minutes
Ireland then disrupt the next New Zealand lineout from similar spot, denying them another opportunity to attack.
But the All Blacks are definitely trying to use contestable kicks to gain territory. Jordie Barrett gets up and taps back the latest high hoist, and Bundee Aki infringes two phases later at a luck. The youngest Barrett will dust himself off and kick for goal.
New Zealand 0-5 Ireland, 8 minutes
Another kick option from the All Blacks! Their lineout functions nicely but Beauden Barrett goes straight to his boot, unfurling a devilish spiralling up-and-under.
But this time Hansen’s hands are secure, claiming a mark in the shadow of his own posts.
New Zealand 0-5 Ireland, 6 minutes
It sounds rather quiet in Wellington, but the noise does lift as the All Blacks counter-attack from near halfway. The two Barretts left in the side combine initially before Beauden lifts a crossfield kick that Mack Hansen knocks on. Ardie Savea is then taken high - penalty to New Zealand and down to the fringes of the Irish 22.
TRY! New Zealand 0-5 IRELAND (Josh van der Flier try, 5 minutes)
Ireland strike early again! A powerful lineout drive and Josh van der Flier flops over!
Dan Sheehan hits James Ryan, who comes down with uncontested ball. New Zealand attack the back of the Ireland maul, but the Irish eight shimmy their emphasis slightly towards the touchline, taking Sam Whitelock, Brodie Retallick and Akira Ioane out of the counter-shove from the All Blacks.
The trio scramble to get back and deny Ireland but the maul by now has momentum and will not be halted, with van der Flier the buried beneficiary.
Johnny Sexton fails to convert.
New Zealand 0-0 Ireland, 3 minutes
But Ireland can attack from a lineout deep in New Zealand territory. They have identified a space at the back of the lineout all series, again Dan Sheehan looping around a feigned maul and sending Bundee Aki up on a charge, Ardie Savea hanging on well to drag him down.
Ireland fail to make much more progress after that and the All Blacks pilfer the ball at the ruck, but Sam Cane had bumped into Josh van der Flier off the ball - penalty to Ireland, which is pushed into the left corner!
New Zealand 0-0 Ireland, 1 minute
James Lowe races down and makes a good tackle inside the New Zealand 22. Aaron Smith can, then, clear directly to touch but opts instead to direct his box kick infield, inviting Ireland to run it back.
Fast start from the Irish! Caelan Doris produces some of his trademark sharp footwork at the line to beat a defender and then a pull-back puts Robbie Henshaw into space. He combines with Peter O’Mahony, but the flanker’s pop on ends up in the hands of Beauden Barrett, retreating and covering well. New Zealand scramble a clearance away.
Match Officials
Plenty of focus on the officials this week - Wayne Barnes takes the whistle, an experienced head for a huge game, though not the most popular figure in New Zealand after the 2007 World Cup quarter-final against France.
Fellow Englishman Tom Foley is the TMO in an all RFU-supplied matchday team of officials.
Ireland to kick-off - here we go!
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