So Australia will play New Zealand in the final at Anfield next Sunday, and on that evidence the Kangaroos are going to take some stopping. That’s all from me, thanks for reading.
The hosts’ Four Nations challenge is over. Here is their captain Sam Burgess: “It’s quite a disappointed the scoreline, we let ourselves down at crucial stages. We missed touch twice and that’s a big swing in momentum. I’m really proud of my team for their efforts. We’ve probably not done as well as we’ve wanted, so we’ll regroup and go again.”
Full-time: England 18-36 Australia
England competed brilliantly for half an hour but in the end Australia’s quality told.
79 min Thurston drags the conversion well wide.
Try! (Holmes) England 18-36 Australia
A brilliant leap over the tackler by Valentine Holmes helps him finish one-handed by the corner, and it’s yet another score by Australia. New Zealand are going to be up against it stopping this side next weekend at Anfield.
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Conversion (Widdop) England 18-32 Australia
Gareth Widdop adds the extras.
Try! (Hall) England 16-32 Australia
England pass swiftly across line and when Dugan gets attracted to George Williams, a flat pass towards the corner finds Ryan Hall in space to finish.
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73 min On the conversion Thurston finally misses a kick – one the easier ones that he has had today.
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A melee after the try leads to Sam Burgess landing a fist on the side of David Klemmer’s head. The replay of the punch on the big screen brings about one of the biggest cheers of the day. Klemmer is given a talking to, as is Burgess. “I think that might be a red card in most other sports,” points out Jonathan Davies on commentary.
Try! (Gillett) England 12-32 Australia
Australia’s Matt Gillett bursts through a couple of tired tackles and stretches out an arm to add four more points near the corner.
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Conversion (Widdop) England 12-28 Australia
The try was reviewed after Sam Burgess had attracted a defender with a dummy run, but the video referee is happy enough. Widdop adds the two points.
Try! (Widdop) England 10-28 Australia
Some neat handiwork by England, showing their desire to keep playing running rugby. It is rewarded with a penalty and they tap for Tom Burgess to run into the heart of the Australia defence. From the first tackle they shift it right along the 20m line for Gareth Widdop to pick a gap, brush aside Thurston, and touch down.
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65 min Greg Inglis, who has been sensational all match, suffers a clash of heads and he’s a little groggy. He is taken off for a concussion interchange, meaning a minimum of 15 minutes out.
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63 min Michael Morgan tries a cute kick into the corner and England are forced to tap the ball off the pitch – Australia will come again.
Conversion (Thurston) England 6-28 Australia
Six from six by Thurston, and the London Stadium has gone a little quiet.
Try! (Dugan) England 6-26 Australia
A brilliant shortside run by Cooper Cronk breaks a tackle before drawing fullback Jonny Lomax and releasing Josh Dugan to run in from 20 metres.
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Conversion (Thurston) England 6-22 Australia
A straightforward kick and no mistake by Johnathan Thurston.
Try! (Scott) England 6-20 Australia
Inglis crashes through three England tackles with brutal power, and from the tackle Australia tee-up Matt Scott to batter his way into Josh Hodgson and over the line.
53 min Centre Kallum Watkins shows a lovely skip of the feet to lose three Australian defenders and make some metres. Mike Cooper is then tackled under the posts on the fifth tackle and Boyd tries a grubber, but fullback Boyd anticipates. Three sets in a row well-defended by the Kangaroos.
51 min Brilliant from Widdop who shuts down a Cronk kick on the sixth tackle and then dives on the ball to give England a chance to attack.
49 min From the restart James Graham and Sam Thaiday have a huge collision. Thaiday is ordered off the field for a concussion check, meaning he won’t be back for at least 15 minutes.
Conversion (Thurston) England 6-16 Australia
Thurston makes it four from four, and England’s Four Nations hopes are hanging by a thread.
Try! (Inglis) England 6-14 Australia
Greg Inglis is first receiver from the back of a scrum following an unfortunate Kallum Watkins knock-on, and he powers through a gap and over the line with two England defenders clinging on.
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45 min Hodgson is down with an ankle injury after that move, but after a bit of treatment he is back on his feet.
44 min What a chance for Sam Burgess! England work a lovely move with Josh Hodgson selling Australia a couple of dummies before teeing up his captain under the posts, but the pass was just out of reach and Burgess could only fumble it over the try-line.
42 min Lomax gets involved from fullback and a little shimmy buys England 10 yards. They string several clever moves together and on the sixth tackle Widdop kicks through – Australia will have to start again from their own try-line.
Kick-off
Gareth Widdop, guilty of two penalties which failed to reach touch in the first half, gets the second under way for England.
The players are back on the field and the second half is coming right up. Will England recover to reach the Four Nations final?
Half-time thoughts
Here’s Aaron Bower, our man at the London Stadium:
It’s a familiar scoreline for England fans with Australia leading at half-time – but it’s certainly not been a half without hope for Wayne Bennett’s side. But for five minutes before the break, England were much the better side: which makes the fact they trail by four points in a game they cannot afford to lose hard to swallow.
The positives? England have certainly held their own against the world champions and deservedly led via Jermaine McGillvary’s try. But the failure to find touch from penalties not once, but twice, throughout the half, is something England can ill-afford more of. Against the Kangaroos, it’s the little things you do that matter so much.
There’s still cause for hope, but it feels like England have given themselves some unncessary work to do.
Half-time: England 6-10 Australia
An impressive first 30 minutes by England was undone in the last 10, and Australia go into the break with a four-point lead.
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Penalty (Thurston) England 6-10 Australia
Sam Burgess comes in with a late challenge, perhaps frustrated with the past five minutes, and Jonathan Thurston adds the two points.
39 min “Robert Hicks really enjoys blowing his whistle,” emails David Brown. Another blast hands England a penalty and they will finish the half on the front foot ... oh no they won’t, because Gareth Widdop’s penalty kick is too short again, not finding touch, and Australia come forwards once more.
Conversion (Thurston) England 6-8 Australia
Jonathan Thurston puts a fine kick from the touchline through the centre of the posts and Australia have the lead.
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Try! (Ferguson) England 6-6 Australia
An exceptional pass by Darius Boyd matches that of his opposite number Jonny Lomax for England’s opening try, drawing Mark Percival out of position, and Blake Ferguson drives into the corner.
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35 min England’s last-ditch defensive work is proving so valuable, as they keep out first Tyson Frizell and then Greg Inglis, but another penalty for holding on too long after the tackle hands Australia a new set of six.
33 min Kallum Watkins blasts through one tackle but is taken down a couple of metres shy of the try-line. Australia begin a set of their own and receive a massive boost with a conceded penalty by Sam Burgess – following a tackle by the captain and both of his brothers all at once.
30 min A mistake by Valentine Holmes, who does well running from within his own 20m but then concedes a knock-on, and England will have a fresh set of six in Australia territory.
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28 min The conversation from wide is missed by Gareth Widdop but England will be delighted with their start.
Try! (McGillvary) England 6-2 Australia
England’s bold play comes off. They shift the ball right after a tackle under the posts, where Jonny Lomax draws his man before a hard flat pass picks out Jermaine McGillvary and the winger touches down in the corner.
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25 min England win a penalty deep in Australia territory. Big decision – they decide to run it! Sam Burgess shows some brilliant handling to keep the ball alive and when Australia knock-on, England have a fresh set of six from 15 yards out...
23 min Australia are knocking at the door and England are desperately defending as Cameron Smith and then Jonathan Thurston hammer into contact. Cooper Cronk clatters towards the try-line but England’s defence is brilliant, three players holding him up at once, and the hosts pinch the ball to get up the field.
21 min On the sixth tackle Cronk sends another high kick. Josh Hodgson takes a bit of a gamble clattering into the Australia half-back, given the last decision, but the referee is happy to let it go. Nothing comes of the kick but a few moments later Australia are on the front foot again, and like clockwork on the sixth tackle Cronk slips a low kick through the England defence, who can only swipe it off the field.
Penalty (Thurston) England 2-2 Australia
Australia are awarded a penalty for a late challenge on kicker Cooper Cronk. Sam Burgess is not happy with Robert Hicks’ decision, which seemed pretty marginal, but the referee waves the England captain away. Jonathan Thurston puts it through the posts from close range.
16 min A little sloppy by England with ball in hand, who work the ball from right to left with some good running until Mark Percival misjudges a pass and Australia turn it over.
14 min Widdop tests Darius Boyd under the high ball, and the Australia fullback takes it well under pressure.
Penalty (Widdop) England 2-0 Australia
There weren’t too many signs that England would be first to score.
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10 min Cronk chips a teasing crossfield ball and Mark Percival commits everything to make a try-saving catch. A brilliant leap by the St Helens man. At the other end, England build two phases before Sam Burgess is prevented from playing the ball quickly. Penalty, and England will kick for goal from a little more than 20 yards.
8 min England finally get moving, spreading the ball right through Kallum Watkins and then Jermaine McGillvary. But they cede possession too early with a high kick by Brown, and it’s all a bit easy for the Kangaroos to defend.
6 min Australia bring up the fifth tackle 10m out and Smith tries another low kick, but it’s a touch overhit. England need to some relief – but Gareth Widdop makes a huge error not finding touch from a penalty in the centre of the field a moment later, inviting Australia forwards again.
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4 min Australia work their way deep into England territory, where Cameron Smith dummies passing left and tries a little grubber through the middle. Jonny Lomax reads it and scoops up the ball on his own line. Australia dominating in the early moments here.
2 min Kevin Brown’s first touch is a high kick from halfway which brings England forwards. Three aggressive tackles in succession keep Australia deep until a huge Cooper Cronk from the 40m line relieves the pressure. A couple of spiky challenges already in and around the tackle.
Kick-off
Robert Hicks gives his whistle a sharp peep and Australia get the final group match of the 2016 Four Nations under way.
The atmosphere is pretty spectacular in east London – the best this stadium has experienced? Kick-off imminent.
A bugle blasts out The Last Post and the London Stadium, filled with around 36,000 supporters, observes a moment’s silence for Remembrance Day. Now the anthems.
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Wayne Bennett speaks: “We’ve moved on [from the previous games]. I’m looking for a bit more direction and Gareth [Widdop] is back. Self-belief will come out on the field, it’s not something I’m going to stand here and talk to you about. Let’s hope they believe.”
Mal Meninga speaks pre-game and says the pressure is off his Australia side after their place in the final was guaranteed by Scotland’s draw with New Zealand on Friday. Asked about playing against a fellow Australian coach in charge of England, he grins: “I think it’s brilliant.”
Need some pre-game reading to get you in the mood? Here’s Aaron Bower talking to England’s most capped player:
There aren’t too many happy memories, to be honest,” says James Graham when asked to recall games against Australia: he is not alone. As England’s most-capped player, the flame-haired prop has had his fair share of tussles with the Kangaroos down the years, but, on every occasion, he and the national side have come up short.
For more than 20 years it has been the same old story; whether it be heartbreaking, narrow defeats or comprehensive beatings, England and Graham have experienced almost the full range of emotions. Almost, because the euphoria of victory has continued to elude them.
You can read the full piece here:
For England, Kevin Brown is picked to play with the recalled Gareth Widdop in a new half-back partnership. Meninga has made two changes to Australia’s starting lineup: Cooper Cronk is recalled after sitting out the win against New Zealand and replaces Michael Morgan, Josh Dugan is preferred to Justin O’Neill, while second rower Tyson Frizell returns to the bench in place of Shannon Boyd.
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“To have a chance we need the Burgess twins to step up,” emails David Brown. “Most of the season they’ve been guilty of giving away silly penalties and dropping a fair bit of ball. I thought the game swung in favour of the Kiwis when Hill and Graham came off. Having said that we do have a great chance of an upset, come on ENGLAND!”
The teams!
England: Lomax; McGillvary, Watkins, Percival, Hall; Widdop, Brown; Graham, Hodgson, Hill, Whitehead, Bateman, S Burgess
Interchange: G Burgess, T Burgess, Cooper, Clark
Australia: Boyd; Holmes, Dugan, Inglis, Ferguson; Thurston, Cronk; Scott, Smith, Woods, Gillett, Cordner, Merrin
Interchange: Klemmer, Morgan, Frizell, Thaiday
Preamble
Following Scotland’s shock draw against New Zealand at Derwent Park on Friday, the equation is a simple one for England: win or draw and they are in next weekend’s final at Anfield against the Kangaroos. A defeat will hand over that chance to New Zealand.
The task however is far from simple: England have not beaten Australia since the 1995 World Cup and arrive in uninspiring form following their narrow defeat at the hands of the Kiwis and a laboured victory over Scotland. The Kangaroos are firing and it is difficult to imagine a scenario in which Mal Meninga’s team do not reclaim the Four Nations crown.
Adding a little spice to this encounter is the strained relationship between Meninga and the England coach, Wayne Bennett. In an odd move, Bennett restated this week that “I’ve got quite a good relationship with Mal ... I have always been friends with him” despite Meninga saying before the competition: “When Wayne says he doesn’t want my job, or that we are friends who will embrace after a game, it is just not true.
“I’m a man of my own convictions,” Meninga added. “I’m not looking for approval from Wayne, nor am I trying to impress him. I know there is a perception that he and I are friends. We’re not enemies, but we’re not friends either. There’s no bad blood — there’s just no blood at all. There is no relationship there. We don’t talk.”
The bottom line is that Bennett is under pressure to produce a major surprise at the London Stadium, and take a result from this menacing Australian side. Anything else will bring to an end the hosts’ stuttering Four Nations campaign.
Kick-off: 2pm GMT
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