Thank you for joining me for this match. It was as scrappy and tight but England managed to stretch away towards the end with a bomb squad bench. You can catch up with all of the action in the report below. We will be covering Ireland’s match against New Zealand live later today so make sure you tune into that but for now, have a good evening.
England’s Henry Pollock told TNT Sports: “Credit to the boys, the back field were incredible today… I was lucky enough the ball bounced in my area, I thought I wasn’t going to get over.”
And on how much he enjoys playing for England: “I love it, it’s every boy’s dream to play for their country. It’s an amazing environment to be a part of.”
Next weekend England take on Fiji and Australia have Italy. There is also more rugby action taking place today with Scotland v USA and Ireland v New Zealand.
Australia have players to welcome into camp next week like Will Skelton and so their squad will be more experienced next week.
England’s George Ford told TNT Sports: “It was tricky. First game notoriously difficult, the rain came down a bit. The intercept could maybe cloud your judgement of the game a little bit… It’s the mental challenge of it all. We had to regroup and calm down a little bit and work out the two or three things were to go on to win the game.”
Player of the match Ben Earl has told TNT Sport: “Love being back at home. It wasn’t always the prettiest… we prepared for this kind of weather [rain]. I think the experience over the last 18 months means we have may not have won this game a year ago but we have today.”
That is England’s eighth win on the bounce.
Full time: England 25-7 Australia
England hold up Australia’s final attack and that is that. A scrappy affair but England get the job done with a late flurry of tries securing the win. A vindication of their last-minute loss against Australia last year and their winning momentum continues. For Australia, they just needed to convert more of their attacking opportunities. Harry Potter a huge highlight for them.
SIN BIN! England 25-7 Australia (Pollock 84)
Australia win yet another penalty and they take it quickly. Too many penalties and Pollock is off for ten.
82 min: Australia win a penalty and they kick to the corner. They want more in Twickenham.
81 min: England win it back before a scuffle between Alaalatoa and Genge. That sparks a bigger argument between both nations and Genge gets back involved with the opposite front row. This is getting tasty, the referee with no control but it does dissipate.
79 min: Australia win a scrum penalty and bid to add to their points tally.
78 min: Earl has been named player of the match.
77 min: How quickly a game can change in a few minutes, the comeback way beyond Australia now. England in full control.
England march and march and march with Cowan-Dickie powering over. That was quite the statement.
TRY! England 25- 7 Australia (Cowan-Dickie 75)
A HUGE maul. Conversion missed.
Updated
75 min: Nothing is going Australia’s way now with Daugunu putting the ball out on the full so it’s pulled back for an England lineout. Steward is also staying on the pitch after it looked like he had a finger pulled back into place.
74 min: It was checked to make sure it made the line but it was a quick decision and it stands.
The maul is formed, it comes to Mitchell and he wins a penalty advantage and runs around to the right to dot down. He has been great this afternoon.
TRY! England 20-7 Australia (Mitchell 72)
Mitchell deserves that. Conversion missed.
Updated
72 min: Oh Australia. They finally get a chance to clear their lines and Paisami has a double movement putting his side under pressure again as England go to the corner.
70 min: This time the maul doesn’t function well and Cowan-Dickie knocks on, an opportunity missed. Australia forced to be patient with a lot of defensive work in the past few minutes.
69 min: A catch and drive goes deep into the 22 and England win a penalty advantage. Ford pops the ball through but it’s out of play, we come back for the advantage. Ford and Itoje discuss their options and they decide to go for the corner.
68 min: Changes for Australia as Salakaia-Loto, Lonergan and Daugunu enter the fray. England on the attack again now.
67 min: Australia have more than enough time to make the difference to swing the result as they set up for another attack. England front up in defence though and it slows the visitors down, it forces Australia to kick and England collect to put Pollock on a run again. Then Australia win a breakdown penalty. Chaos.
65 min: But as always in this game, Australia wrestle the ball back so no more points added for England.
63 min: Australia cough up another penalty and Ford sends it upfield. It feels like England have played better in this game but the scoreboard isn’t really reflecting that at the moment. Another try would certainly help them.
62 min: A lot is said about Pollock but for me he is exactly what rugby needs. His confidence – or arrogance depends on how you see it – injects discussion and brings eyes to the game. And when he can back it up with a try like that, you can see why he does it. It’s also interesting because in men’s rugby his celebrations are scrutinised but in women’s rugby celebrations like Ellie Kildunne’s rodeo is celebrated.
What a try from England. Mitchell with another great box kick, Roebuck taps it back and Pollock collects. He runs, gets tapped but he is over the line. A lovely celebration to go with it.
TRY! England 15-7 Australia (Pollock, 59)
It’s what he does. Conversion missed.
Updated
58 min: Australia get it clean and Edmed clears.
Updated
58 min: There’s a scrum now, can England’s bomb squad come up with a penalty? It’s why Borthwick set up his team as he did but the new front row does not come away with it. Ford then knocks it on so we have another scrum. England fans, what have you made of Ford this afternoon? For me he’s been solid but nothing magical.
56 min: England go through the hands straight off of the training pitch but Curry’s pass goes behind Chessum and out of play. Australia’s clearing lineout is scrappy – the word to define this game – but they just about get it away.
55 min: England win another penalty and Ford aims for the corner. Some kind of score is needed to put some more energy into this encounter.
54 min: Australia’s lineout is good and they immediately run it through the hands. They go all the way to the other side of the pitch but they can’t come up with the goods with England’s defence turning it over.
52 min: This is such a scrappy game and it is only getting more scrappy. Maybe because of the rain but this is not a game for too much free-flowing rugby. Australia have kicked to the corner but before the lineout Cowan-Dickie, Stuart, Genge Pollock and Curry as all on for England. Talk about bomb squad.
51 min: I am running out of ways to describe the ball being turned over back and forth between the two, but that is what has happened again. England are preparing a quadruple change but not yet.
49 min: We’re back underway and George is okay to continue. An England attack begins the next phase of play.
48 min: The tennis back and forth remains the trend with England’s defence winning a penalty as Potter goes off feet. It looks like there will be a break in play as referee Nika Amashukeli can’t hear the TMO and George receives some treatment.
48 min: Australia make their first change with Tufou is off for Alaalatoa. Neither side are putting in sustained possession as the moment, it very much feels like we’re watching tennis with the heads going left and right. But just as I type that Australia come streaming through with Valetini spotting a gap.
46 min: England win a breakdown penalty and Ford boots it into touch. It’s a good platform to build from, the lineout coming on the edge of the 22. It goes through the hands but Australia wrestle back possession at the ruck.
44 min: England’s lineout not the cleanest early on in this second half but on the second time of asking they do secure it. Possession then exchanges hands as they bitty nature of this encounter continues.
42 min: No changes at the break for either team but one difference is that is had started to rain in London which may lead to more unforced errors.
Back underway: England 10-7 Australia
It’s a tight game but will England hold onto this? Or will Australia secure a comeback win? All to come.
Guy Hornsby has emailed and said:
Afternoon Sarah. A match full of zip and power today. And really tight, as often is between these rivals. Just here to salute Sam Underhill and his chop tackle. He’s much more than that, of course - just look at his position following the kick for Earl’s try - but I’m not sure I’ve ever seen anyone so proficient at felling large men at pace. His technique is a mixture of a surgeon’s precision and wanton destruction.
Afternoon Guy. Yes, Underhill’s ability to do so within the laws of the game is also incredible, I completely agree. A real asset and a great example for young rugby players coming through.
Half-time: England 10-7 Australia
England may have had more positive moments, giving them the lead with Ben Earl’s try and George Ford’s boot, but it’s Harry Potter’s excellent intercept which is the highlight so far.
Updated
40 min: Australia come away with the ball from the scrum and set up another attack. However, England win it back and Ford boots it forward. Roebuck runs after it but Australia recover the ball. All action this one!
38 min: Some absolutely huge and crushing tackles from Australia as England look to attack. The physicality pays off with Earl spilling the ball from a huge shot from Suaalii. They are replaying a tackle from Edmed of Roebuck, it does look like it took him over the horizontal, but it’s not pinged for any penalty.
36 min: And to think Potter could be in a white shirt today but he chose to play for Australia. England trying to see out this half with a lead with all of the momentum with the Wallabies now.
I did say he would do something good shortly. England look like they are about to score but Potter reads it perfectly, intercepts a few metres from his own tryline. He runs the entire pitch to score. Absolutely worldclass.
TRY! England 10-7 Australia (Potter, 34)
That was magic. Clean conversion, game on.
Updated
34 min: England come again, they are looking confident with ball in hand.
33 min: I know I should have said something wizardry there with his name being Harry Potter, I will do better next time he does something well which should be no time at all judging his performance so far.
32 min: Underhill is okay to continue and England’s lineout is clean, they clear their lines. The hosts are the next to attack but my, oh my what an incredible bit of defence. Out of nowhere Earl is up and over but Potter tackles him and gets underneath. That was huge.
30 min: Australia were being sloppy with their attack but Wilson puts in a magnificent kick to gain valuable territory. It’s almost a 50:22 but it’s an inch or two too short. England will have the lineout but they’ll be under pressure. Before that Underhill receives some treatment as Sweet Caroline rings around – that song plagues English sport now, an unpopular opinion of mine that I find that song so annoying.
28 min: The catch and drive begins but Underhill legally wins the penalty to thwart the Australia attack. They may come to rue not taking the penalty shot.
26 min: Australia kick to the corner instead of a shot at goal. The Wallabies stretch it left and right, they think they are over but George holds it up. We are pulled back for an advantage which again is sent to the corner.
24 min: We are pulled back to advantage but before that some players are receiving treatment. England are using the break to go into a huddle before dispersing with all the players able to continue.
24 min: Well it has been lively since kick-off but we’ve definitely seen pace injected into this fixture now. Australia need to respond and they are heading into the 22 with penalty advantage.
The restart is great for England. Mitchell box kicks after they collect and Underhill and Earl connect well. The Saracens player’s pace after sees him over the line.
TRY! England 10-0 Australia (Earl, 21)
Wow, what a try. It’s converted by Ford.
Updated
PENALTY! England 3-0 Australia (Ford, 20)
Australia knock on and then hold on, England point to the sticks and Ford slots it.
19 min: What is this game? Feyi-Waboso makes a great break, beating two defenders, but then offloads to Australia’s Wilson but they can’t quite break through England’s defence. A real stalemate.
17 min: This game is like the Pirate Song I used to sing at school, possession going this way, that way, forward and back. Twickenham comes to life though as Ford sets an electric attack into motion but it ends with a knock on.
15 min: The set piece collapses for the first time this afternoon but the referee says “use it” and another attacking set begins for Australia. The Wallabies produce some gorgeous interlinking passes but Freeman reads it to intercept. A real battle between these two great rugby nations.
13 min: It’s another clean scrum and it’s a great attacking set for Australia. It looked like the visitors have fumbled the attack but it was Mitchell who knocked on so another scrum to come.
12 min: The ball pings around as multiple sets of hands try to catch a kicked ball and then it’s pulled back as Pepper has knocked the ball on so it’s scrum time.
10 min: Possession goes back and forth but it is England again who win a penalty with Ford booting it up pitch. Can they get a reward for their territory this time around? No, England are pinged for coming in at the side of the ruck.
8 min: Another lineout for England eventually goes to hand as the hosts look to strike first. Australia give away another penalty and George takes it quickly. They keep knocking on the door and Heyes gets over but Australia’s Wilson has a brilliant piece of defence by getting underneath him to hold it up.
6 min: Kate Sheehan-Finn has emailed about our traitor discussion and said:
Being Irish, I’m rather partial to the idea of Brian O Driscoll as a Traitor and Johnny Sexton as a Faithful. Going back to former England players, it would be wrong not to propose Johnny Wilkinson. He’s got potential to be a brilliant faithful. But who would dare suspect him of being a traitor? It’s been a pleasure to see Joe Marler on the show.
Oo I like those suggestions, yes Marler has been pretty special. England are being faithful to their attack right now as they turned the ball over in the 22. With an advantage, Ford opts to the boot and Feyi-Waboso almost gets to it. But have Australia deliberately knocked it out? Well, the TMO isn’t looking at it so we come back to the advantage.
Updated
4 min: They pack down in the scrum and it’s a clean drive by both teams with Australia coming away with it. They thread it through the team before Potter puts boot to ball but Feyi-Waboso secures the ball and then wins a breakdown penalty.
2 min: England secure the kick-off despite Suaalii coming through with an attempt to steal. However, the visitors turn it over as possession goes back and forth which ends with a knock on by England’s Steward. Australia scrum to come.
Updated
Kick-off: England 0-0 Australia
Here we go then.
Rugby World Cup winner Lewis Moody is delivering the match ball, an emotional moment for the England icon after recently being diagnosed with motor neurone disease.
Updated
The players will be out on the pitch soon and the anthems will follows shortly after. Are you ready for what is set to be a thriller? Strap in. It’s coming.
Former England prop Joe Marler has been quite the star on the Celebrity Traitors in the UK and it it has made me think about who else would be good on the show. Could you see a Rob Valetini as a good faithful? Would George Ford be a good traitor? Let me know your thoughts via email.
There has been a lot of chat between the nations this week about the breakdown, catch up here:
Australia legend George Gregan has outlined what he thinks will be the Wallabies game plan this afternoon, have a read:
A big afternoon for Fraser Dingwall, who could mark himself out as an out-in-out starter:
Here is Ugo Monye’s column for this match:
I don’t know about you but the TV montages always send a shiver down my spine, they set the tone perfectly and it’s the absolute best way to get these internationals underway.
The team news was announced earlier this week and England went early with theirs, naming the team on Tuesday.
It sees George Ford take the fly-half shirt with Fin Smith on the bench and Marcus Smith not included in the matchday 23. Steve Borthwick has also opted for a younger front row with the like of Ellis Genge and Luke Cowen-Dickie on the bench. There is also a return for Immanuel Feyi-Waboso from injury.
England: Steward; Roebuck, Freeman, Dingwall, Feyi-Waboso; Ford, Mitchell; Baxter, George, Heyes, Itoje, Chessum, Pepper, Underhill, Earl.
Bench: Cowan-Dickie, Genge, Stuart, Coles, Curry, Pollock, Spencer, Smith.
Australia, meanwhile, welcome back Taniela Tupou to the side, who will feature for the first time since playing New Zealand in Auckland earlier this year. Harry Potter, who is also qualified to play for England, starts on the wing.
Australia: Kellaway; Jorgensen, Suaalii, Paisami, Potter; Edmed, Gordon; Bell, Pollard, Tupou, Frost, Williams, Valetini, McReight, Wilson.
Bench: Nasser, Robertson, Alaalatoa, Salakaia-Loto, Champion de Crespigny, Lonergan, Stewart, Daugunu.
Preamble
Hello and welcome to the Autumn Nations Series match between England and Australia. The last time an English team played at Twickenham the Red Roses came away with a Rugby World Cup win and so can the men’s team keep the wins rolling?
Well there is another winning element here against Australia as many of the players in the English team today were a part of the British and Irish Lions tour to Australia earlier this summer which the Lions won 2-1.
That means the Wallabies will be out for a bit of revenge and they have the fire power to execute it. The team news has already been announced and so stay tuned for updates before kick-off at 3.10pm GMT.
