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.”
Farewell!
That just about does us for our live coverage of England’s win over Australia. Eddie Jones’ side survive a strange affair at Twickenham to make it two from two this autumn, both games won without conceding a try. Their attack will have to fire more fully against the Springboks next week, you’d think, but for the eighth successive time since Jones took charge England have won the Cook Cup.
We’ll have plenty more reaction to and analysis of today’s game over the next couple of days. Thank you for joining us.
England defeat stubborn Australia as Marcus Smith shines at Twickenham
For all their possession and territory, the odds-on favourites led only 16-12 at half-time
Owen Farrell on his injury
Farrell reveals he took a bang to the ankle, but reckons he should be fit for next weekend’s game against South Africa.
Jamie George took a knock to the knee, Eddie Jones says, and England will assess him on Monday. Joe Marler is out of isolation on Thursday evening and is “a possibility” for South Africa next Saturday.
Eddie Jones on England’s win
“We’ve had a disrupted week. We had two Covid positives, a young prop come in and have one training run and start, we lostJamie George at halftime. We had to battle hard. It turned out to be a really heavy penalty game, a lot of set-piece battles. I was really pleased with the way our finishers finished the game.
“Bevan Rodd, to make his debut against someone with 113 caps and play 65, 70 minutes is a remarkable job from a young prop. Jamie Blamire we have identified can make a really good Test hooker. He’s got the scent for the ball. He’s got to do some work on his set-piece but most guys do. Both the young guys went well.”
Australia struggle to get going
It was an odd sort of performance from Australia, who defended well at times but never really got going in attack.
“We haven’t performed with the accuracy or consistency that we needed,” says Dave Rennie post-game. “We’ve got to be disciplined and we’ve got to be accurate - we were neither tonight.”
Michael Hooper adds: “We are not building momentum. We’ve got to work out what that looks like.”
Owen Farrell’s injury a concern
Owen Farrell looked to be moving far more freely when shaking hands after full-time. He had been having a right old natter with his head coach moments beforehand.
Will he be available for South Africa? England’s attack flickered today without properly igniting, and the first indications from the Farrell/Marcus Smith playmaking partnership were largely positive.
England make it two from two
FT: England 32-15 Australia
Victory by a not insubstantial margin in the end for England, but that was a curious affair, a game England controlled almost completely but never looked close to putting beyond doubt. Australia stuck around well, tightening up defensively in their own red zone to frustrate England and keep them from building on plenty of nice attacking moments in the middle portion of the pitch.
Plenty of penalties took a little of the steam out of the game, which never really built momentum, but England make it two from two for the autumn.
TRY! ENGLAND 32-15 Australia (Jamie Blamire try, 80 minutes)
Jamie Blamire simply cannot stop scoring in England white! Another try for the replacement hooker and England add some final gloss to the victory.
It comes from outstanding attacking play from Australia, dancing in open space for only the second or third time all evening. Tolu Latu combines with Len Ikitau down the right but the ball is spilled as they try and work intricate patterns, and Sam Simmonds looks up to see room in front of him as the ball ends up in his breadbasket.
Down the left touchline he sprints, burning the fatigued Australian chasers and drawing the last defender. Blamire wisely lurks in the Australia half, waiting for his teammate to arrive and getting his engine started as he does, collecting the pass and romping home in what is, by now, trademark fashion.
Marcus Smith puts over the extra two and that makes the win look a little prettier for England.
England 25-15 Australia, 78 minutes
England twice threaten to cut pleasant shapes through the Australian defence. Max Malins first tumbles over a tackler as he tries to jink and jump inside having been freed in a strip of space on the right, before Henry Slade arcs, arcs, and arcs some more to the outside edge but finds support lacking and forces an errant offload.
Australia play to potential counter-attacking space but an outstanding chase down from Alex Dombrandt on the angle forces the ball free.
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