England vs Tonga LIVE: Rugby result and reaction from 2021 autumn international fixture today
Follow all the latest updates from Twickenham as Eddie Jones’ side begin their autumn campaign
England responded to the loss of captain Owen Farrell to a positive Covid test by overwhelming Tonga 69-3 in their Autumn Nations Series opener.
The first 82,000 full house at Twickenham for 20 months because of the coronavirus pandemic noisily celebrated a 11-try rout led by Jonny May, Ben Youngs and Jamie George, who each crossed twice.
Victory was completed despite a disrupted build-up that saw Farrell withdraw as fly-half and captain after testing positive for Covid with confirmation of his absence delivered only 90 minutes before kick-off.
George Furbank was promoted to chief conductor for his fifth cap and a rookie who is more accustomed to playing full-back rose to the occasion by showing several attacking flourishes until he was replaced by Marcus Smith.
The intention had been for Farrell and Smith to form a playmaking axis but Covid and Smith’s leg injury sabotaged that plan and instead the Harlequins prodigy had to wait until the 53rd minute to step off the bench.
Smith entered the fray at a time when England were becoming scruffy in the face of successful Tongan spoiling but his arrival gave Eddie Jones’ men a second wind and he picked a brilliant support line to finish a break by man of the match Henry Slade.
The 22-year-old’s afternoon was marred only when he was elbowed on the floor in the 70th minute by Viliami Fine, who was sent off as a result.
FT: England 69-3 Tonga
Plenty for the more than 80,000 fans at Twickenham to cheer as England cut an increasingly out-matched Tonga to ribbons. There are much, much sterner tests to come but Eddie Jones will be heartened by the manner in which England’s backs went about their business in attack, largely very accurate and incisive. Both fly-halves attacked the line, and Henry Slade and Manu Tuilagi were excellent. A word, too, for some particularly sharp service from Ben Youngs, afforded quick ball by an efficient performance from England’s pack. Little to complain about for the hosts.
TRY! ENGLAND 69-3 Tonga (Alex Mitchell try, 80 minutes)
It’s a messy old finish but there is no denying Alex Mitchell this time!
Give a hefty amount of credit to Adam Radwan, who has come to life in these final minutes and knocks a tackler out of his shoes with flamenco footwork. His offload is grotesque, tumbling to the floor far beyond Mitchell’s waiting hands, and the replacement scrum-half’s dribbling efforts aren’t much more aesthetically pleasing, but are effective. Three toes ahead with the right boot and beneath the posts he flops as the clock ticks into the red. A final conversion from Marcus Smith and that’ll do it.
TRY! ENGLAND 62-3 Tonga (Jamie Blamire try, 78 minutes)
He can’t stop scoring for England! A handful of club starts but England may just have found a gem in Jamie Blamire.
It is Marcus Smith who sets it up, a familiar etching as he dummies and fox-trots through a tired arm tackle, Blamire providing good support and jogging for the line. Smith converts.
England 55-3 Tonga, 77 minutes
England play left and right as they seek holes against this Tongan 14. Adam Radwan twice nearly scorches the entire defence himself, and here goes Marcus Smith!
England 55-3 Tonga, 76 minutes
Tonga knock-on after their lineout inside the England 22.
NO TRY! England 55-3 Tonga, 75 minutes
He was! Cruel for Alex Mitchell, who the ball rather fell to in happenstance after an onside Jamie Blamire had befuddled the Tongan defender by his failure to grasp a bouncing ball.
Try chalked off, penalty to Tonga as Henry Slade is named as the player of the match.
England 55-3 Tonga, 75 minutes
England will dry to play the hits now as the rain begins to tumble at Twickenham, Smith sketching, Alex Dombrandt offloading, Henry Slade ever a linking menace.
Adam Radwan sprints to the outside, and his kick falls into the hands of Alex Mitchell, who canters for the score! But was he offside...
TRY! ENGLAND 55-3 Tonga (Marcus Smith try, 73 minutes)
Marcus Smith is over! England are beginning to run rampant, playing from their own 22 and scything Tonga open. Henry Slade arcs on a pass from Smith sharply through a hole and is allowed to advance unimpeded some 50 yards or so, waiting, waiting, waiting and releasing his fly-half in an elongated one-two, with Smith able to punch the air and salute the crowd as he sprints untouched for the line. He completes the job from the tee.
TRY! ENGLAND 48-3 Tonga (Jamie George try, 71 minutes)
Another meaty mauling and Jamie George has his second! Another simple enough job for George, picking his moment as the line approaches and finding only meek resistances to the left of the tied up forwards. Marcus Smith converts.
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