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.”
Maro Itoje leads England out
A great ovation for Maro Itoje, too, as he leads England out, all fire and flames behind him as he pivots to invite his teammates to join him.
The crowd are up for it
the Twickenham crowd are being treated to a rather impressive coordinated light show, like something out of an Edgar Wright film, with sound and vision coalescing in time.
The crowd are in good voice, too - Marcus Smith’s name gets an enormous, pulse-lifting roar.
The Cook Cup
Australia must override ‘inferiority complex’ to beat England, claims Eddie Jones
In their seven previous wins under Jones, England have scored in excess of 30 points against Australia on six occasions
Conditions
It’s a balmy enough evening at Twickenham for the middle of November, the sun long since set and the stands filing nicely. A bit of moisture in the air, but both sides appear to be handling well in the warm-up.
Emma vs Eddie
There will be more than 80,000 people packed in to Twickenham today, but Emma Raducanu won’t be one of them. It is understood that having been made aware of Eddie Jones’ comments last week the US Open champion declined an invite to attend either this game or next week’s clash with South Africa.
Jones confirmed that he had written privately to Raducanu to explain his ham-handed attempt to keep Marcus Smith grounded.
Eddie Jones writes to Emma Raducanu to clarify comments on her loss of form
The England head coach wanted to illustrate how Marcus Smith should not be distracted by non-playing activities
One to watch - Nic White
Eddie Jones had plenty of nice words to say about Nic White this week, the former Exeter scrum-half a developed player in recent years.
Without Quade Cooper and Samu Kerevi in midfield, White takes on additional importance, with the Wallabies likely to play off nine a lot of the time. A shrewd kicker, White will also surely try to test out this new-look England backfield – it will be fascinating to watch how England set up in obvious kick return situations with Tuilagi on the wing.
White was also compared to a wicketkeeper in the build-up to this game due to his chatty, in your face nature on the pitch – after Matthew Wade’s heroics at the T20 World Cup on Thursday evening it has been a good week for chirpy Australians.
One to watch - Bevan Rodd
It has been a strange week for Bevan Rodd. He would have begun it preparing for the start of Sale Sharks’ Premiership Rugby Cup campaign but now finds himself ready to run out, on debut, in front of a Twickenham full house for an encounter with fierce
Scottish born but reared on the Isle of Man, Jones believes Rodd to be the most promising loosehead in the country, and while he would probably not have preferred to give him a debut after three days of training, needs must. Rodd was in camp with England both in the summer and in September, partly to keep him away from the clutches of Gregor Townsend who was rather keen to tempt him north, but he has had limited time to prepare with new teammates. He will, for instance, have only fully met Jamie George on Wednesday.
It is not the worst week to blood a loosehead – Australia are short of their two top tightheads, of course - but England will very quickly find out if the Shark can sink or swim at this level.
England vs Australia - Talking points
Talking points ahead of England vs Australia at Twickenham
Eddie Jones’ side take on the country of his birth in the Autumn Nations Series
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