England vs Australia LIVE: Rugby result, final score and reaction from 2021 Autumn internationals
Eddie Jones extended his win streak over his native country as England ground down a stubborn Wallabies side
England chalked up an eighth successive victory over Australia on Saturday as tries for Freddie Steward and Jamie Blamire and the pinpoint goalkicking of Owen Farrell and Marcus Smith settled a penalty-ridden game 32-15 for the hosts.
England made most of the running in the first half and scored a superb try through fullback Steward after seven minutes but as both teams conceded a succession of penalties, Farrell and James O’Connor punished each other from the tee to keep it tight at 16-12 at halftime. The ragged, indisciplined nature continued in the second half Australia were hit with two yellow cards in the game - with neither side really threatening the tryline but England still in the ascendancy.
Farrell, winning his 100th cap for England and the Lions, went off injured after landing five penalties and a conversion but Smith added another penalty to stretch the lead before replacement hooker Blamire sent the home fans wild when he galloped in from 60 metres in the final minute.
England have now won all eight of their games against the Wallabies, who conceded 18 penalties, since they lost to them in the pool phase to be knocked out of the 2015 World Cup.
“We stuck at it,” said coach Eddie Jones. “We’ve had a tough week. Two Covid, Kyle Sinckler was injured in the first 10 minutes of the match - he was incapacitated. Australia have been in a bubble since June, so congrats to them for staying in it.”
HELD UP! England 16-15 Australia, 46 minutes
Nearly an opportunistic England score! The ball somehow springs free of an assembling Australia maul, falling perfectly for Jonny Hill, who sets about rumbling for the line.
His teammates join him and over it goes at some speed, but Australia manage to get bodies beneath the ball and hold Hill up. Goalline drop out.
England 16-15 Australia, 45 minutes
England defuse another high bomb from Nic White - they’ve coped well aerially so far, with Manu Tuilagi seldom, if ever, in the backfield.
Ben Youngs pushes Australia back with his own boxed number, a flatter one that tumbles down just short of the Australian 22, where it trundles into touch.
England 16-15 Australia, 44 minutes
A nervy moment inside the Australian 22 as a rare second pass deep in their own territory slips free of O’Connor’s grasp, but it tumbles backward - fortunately for the Wallabies.
Nic White then clears well. Jamie Blamire’s first dart rather misses the board, on the outside of Courtney Lawes’ leap and called not straight. Australia somewhat surprisingly will opt for a lineout rather than a scrum.
PENALTY! England 16-15 AUSTRALIA (James O’Connor penalty, 43 minutes)
Penalty number five knocked between the posts.
England 16-12 Australia, 41 minutes
Bevan Rodd carries in midfield with Maro Itoje, without a scrum cap today, interestingly, alongside him for support, but the second row goes off his feet and is rightly pinged by Jaco Peyper.
Here’s a picture we’ve seen before - James O’Connor will plant the ball on the tee.
The players are back out there
A half-time change for England - Jamie George was struggling at the end of the first half after injuring himself in attempting to score in the corner, and he has not re-emerged. Jamie Blamire is on in his stead as Australia kick off...
The Wright decision?
Australia will be relieved that they did not fold during the yellow card period, but they are probably a touch fortunate that it was yellow and not red for Tom Wright - he got his technique all wrong and though Jamie George stepped late in to him, Wright was high all the way and made direct contact with the head. Jaco Peyper and TMO Stuart Berry’s reasons for mitigation were fair enough, but given the crackdown on that sort of collision other officials might have concluded differently.
The Marcus Smith Show
The Twickenham crowd has cheered every glimpse of the Marcus Smith show so far. His pass for Steward’s score was perfectly timed and England are broadening their attack nicely with Smith and Owen Farrell in combination, and Eddie Jones will be disappointed his side have been a little loose at times in the 22, for much of their phase play in the middle third of the pitch has been excellent.
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