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.
England 10-3 Tonga, 23 minutes
George Furbank is away! A gap opens and the stand-in fly-half sashays through it, bouncing off a tackler and racing into the Tongan backfield. He is taken high as he crabs across field and England will go to their profitable right corner to see what more riches they may find.
England 10-3 Tonga, 22 minutes
Sione Vailanu on the charge! The number eight gets-a-rumbling, brushing Ben Youngs from his waist and delivering a thump to the chest of George Furbank as he knocks the England fly-half back.
Tonga play a few more phases and then poke in behind but the ubiquitous Steward hustles across to again gather and clear, and James Faiva follows suit to about halfway.
England 10-3 Tonga, 20 minutes
Maro Itoje looks to make a nuisance of himself at the breakdown in trademark fashion, drawing a number of Tongan hands in protection of Sonatane Takulua. Freddie Steward rushes forward to claim another high bomb superbly and does even better to flick an offload infield as Walter Fifita drives him for touch, but it’s gone forwards from the hands of Sam Underhill. Tonga scrum.
PENALTY! England 10-3 TONGA (Sonatane Takulua penalty, 19 minutes)
This one is from the left, seven or so metres infield...and that’s a mighty strike. The flags of the touch judges flutter as they are raised to signal Tonga’s first score.
England 10-0 Tonga, 17 minutes
No dice! Takulua has the distance but over-kicks it slightly, dragging it acros the face and allowing Freddie Steward to boot the ball away.
Tonga go to the air from the ruck after claiming Steward’s clearance, and an obstruction from Tom Curry means that Steward’s great leap to claim it will be wasted. A penalty to Tonga, and a second chance for Takulua.
England 10-0 Tonga, 16 minutes
That is less good from England. A penalty after the restart and a first chance for Tonga to put points on the board. Sonatane Takulua assesses the breeze at a slightly blustery Twickenham and reckons he will have a go at goal from just inside the 15-metre line, 40 metres out. He’s normally relatively reliable...
Adam Radwan opened the scoring for England with a strong finish in the corner
TRY! ENGLAND 10-0 Tonga (Jamie George try, 13 minutes)
Jamie George is over! The hooker hits his jumper, rides the back of England’s meaty maul drive and bursts away as he spies white, taking Sonatane Takulua with him as he barrels over for five more English points. An angry hurl of the ball to the crowd in a celebration of sorts - having been left out of the original squad that is a try that will please the Saracen.
Henry Slade misses to the left of the uprights from a virtually identical spot to the first.
England 5-0 Tonga, 12 minutes
More good maul defence from Tonga but here come England, Ben Youngs finding a passageway he thought open quickly blocked and forced to swiftly shift on to former Leicester teammate Manu Tuilagi.
Tonga infringe, though - twice, in fact. A high tackle and a failure to roll away, and another Slade kick will give England opportunity to try their luck in the other corner.
England 5-0 Tonga, 10 minutes
Tonga burst through! But those are Manu Tuilagi’s waiting hands! An errant pass finds the England centre and he passes on, George Furbank hammering upfield and asking Jonny May to chase a hopping rabbit, with Tonga only able to clear to about 35 metres out.
A penalty at the first post-lineout contact and England hit the corner through Henry Slade’s excellent kick from hand. Chance number two for the home side.
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