Have a read of what Eddie Jones and Michael Cheika had to say …
Finally, here’s Paul Rees’s match report from Twickenham …
Michael Cheika speaks: “When we bring consistency to 80 minutes we’ll be right up there,” says Australia’s coach. “You can’t win rugby matches playing well for just 40 minutes. We’re feeling pretty disappointed. We played some pretty good rugby in the first half, but we needed to show more mettle in the second. The pleasing things go to the back of your mind at a time like this.”
Asked if he thought Australia got the rub of the green from the referee, he says: “At times, no, but we made a lot of mistakes as well. We’ve got to clean up those errors.” He finishes up by congratulating his opposite number, Eddie Jones.
England’s players looking pretty chuffed with life: They’re currently assembling for a team photo in the dressing room and their captain, Dylan Hartley, has said they’lll go out tonight and have a good night enjoying each other’s company after five weeks of hard graft. I’m guessing it won’t be a quiet one in front of the TV.
An email from Thomas Callaghan: “I’ve jut been monitoring the Australian sports site The Roar,” he says. “Crumbs! The whinging is breathtaking! From the comments on the site it seems that the only reason the Wallabies have lost this game is because of the referee! They are also complaining about players playing for England who were not born in England. Australia employs more foreign born players than any nation in all sports including players who have played for other countries!”
As an Irishman who has nothing but the highest of regard for the good people of England and Australia, I’m staying well out of this one Thomas. Suffice to say, our 100% record against them only came on the back of one win over them, so we probably only had to put up with 25% as much whinging.
Updated
Eddie Jones speaks: “We were terrible for the first 20 minutes,” he says. “I don’t the guys could have played any worse if they tried. I got the sense maybe the players were a little bit quiet and maybe nervous in the warm-up, but in the first 20 minutes of the second half we were excellent.”
He adds that the most satisfying thing about England’s run of success is that they keep getting better. He also suggests that Ben Youngs “put his hand up for a Lions jersey today”. He goes on to say that no player in the England team is irreplacable and it’s important that they remember that.
Ben Youngs speaks ...
With England’s players having collected their medals, Ben Youngs speaks to Sky. He says England spoke about getting a foothold in the game at half-time and once they’d done that, everything clicked for them. He says Eddie Jones didn’t lose the rag with them over a dreadful performance in the first 20 minutes, but did point out that they couldn’t play any worse.
Updated
An email from Terry Harrison
“What a difference a coach makes,” he writes. “England have always had the players but now we have a coach who knows how to win international rugby matches.”
More impressive on scoreboard than pitch but maturity in comeback; refusal to panic; tactically astute last 20. Another step forward England
— Brian Moore (@brianmoore666) December 3, 2016
In the post match interviews: Tom Wood and Jonathan Joseph agree they started inexplicably poorly, but express their delight at the eventual outcome. Australia captain Stephen Moore looks pretty gutted and says England are a good team and says you don’t win as many consecutive games as they have without being a good team. He adds that Australia’s players will take a holiday again, recharge their batteries and go again next year. Asked if fatigue was a factor in Australia’s defeat today, his answer is short and to the point: “No.”
Full time at Twickenham: England 37-21 Australia
It’s all over: England win their 14th consecutive match and will end 2016 unbeaten. They’ve had a fantastic time this year, winning the Six Nations Grand Slam, whitewashing the Aussies on Tour in the summer and adding another victory over them here at the end of a series of successful Autumn internationals.
Updated
England 37-21 Australia
80 min: The clock ticks into the red as England scrum down five metres from Australia’s line.
England 37-21 Australia
79 min: Australia remain pinned back on their own line as England continue to turn the screw in the closing stages. They’re ending this match a lot more impressively than they started it!!! Ben Youngs has been named Old Mutual’s man of the match. Courtney Lawes, Jonathan Joseph and Marland Yarde also caught the eye.
England 37-21 Australia
78 min: A long pass out to the touchline from Ford to Johnny May and it looks as if the Englishman is going to add another try to England’s tally. Henry Speight takes him out with an excellent covering tackle in the corner.
England 37-21 Australia
75 min: George Ford kicks the conversion.
England 35-21 Australia
74 min: Try, England! Australia win a scrum penalty and make a bit of ground, but remain inside their own half. But what’s this! Jonathan Joseph pounces to intercept a loose pass from David Pocock pass and sprints 40 metres to go over the line for England. It’s a second try for the England centre.
Updated
England 30-21 Australia
Yellow card: Dane Haylett-Petty Australia’s No14 walks for dropping his shoulder into Mike Brown after the ball had been released. It’s a soft yellow, but the World Rugby directives say he has to go. England opt not to go for the points, but trap the Aussies a few yards from their own line.
England 30-21 Australia
71 min: There’s a delay as the TMO tries to decide if Haylett-Petty’s tackle was late. He’s going to go in the bin for that.
England 30-21 Australia
70 min: England win another penalty but advantage is played after excellent work by the substitute Ben Te’o. He makes ground through the middle and isn’t released Dane Haylett-Petty.
England 30-21 Australia
69 min: George Ford misses with a penalty after Owen Farrell goes off. Dan Cole joins him on the bench and the duo are replaced by Kyle Sinkler and Ben Te’o. Australia ring more changes as well: Quade Cooper, Henry Speight and Nick Frisby all come on.
England 30-21 Australia
68 min: Bernard Foley misses the conversion after that try.
England 30-21 Australia
Try, Australia (Sekope Kepu)Jonathan Joseph misses a tackle Israel Folau 40 metres from the England line and seconds later, Sekope Kepu sprints for the line on Australia’s 16th phase of possession. Good speed for a big front rower, there. Owen Farrell tried to bring him down with a tap tackle, but the prop had too much speed for him.
Updated
64 min: Danny Care comes on for Ben Youngs, who has been outstanding for England today. The replacement immediately tries his luck with a drop goal attempt, but it’s well short.
62 min: Dean Mumm comes on for Australia, replacing Kane Douglas in the second row. George Ford makes more ground England, kicking long to force Australia back into their own half.
England 30-16 Australia
61 min: It’s all England at the moment, with Australia struggling badly to stay in the game. The last 20 minutes is when Eddie Jones predicted his side would win it, but the entire second half has been a procession for them thus far. Australia scrum, halfway inside their own half.
England 30-16 Australia
60 min: England front-rowers Mako Vunipola and Dylan Hartley make way for Joe Marner and Jamie George.
England 30-16 Australia
58 min: More pressure on Australia’s defence as the increasingly influential Ben Youngs kicks long for Marland Yarde to chase to the corner. Australia clear their lines, but only just.
England 30-16 Australia
Penalty, England. Owen Farrell makes it 30 points for England, who now lead by 14 points. Australia make a change, replacing prop Scott Sio with Tom Robertson.
Updated
England 27-16 Australia
54 min: England advance into Australia territory with Jonny May making ground after skipping through a couple of tackles. The ball goes out wide one side and then the other, as England inch towards the Australian line. England win a penalty after Kane Douglas is penalised for tackling a man without the ball, fail to take advantage with a drop goal attempt and Farrell has the opportunity to add another three points to their tally.
England 27-16 Australia
52 min: Reece Hodge knocks on while Australia try to make yards into England territory. Scrum for England just inside their own half.
England 27-16 Australia
Try, England! Excellent play from Ben Youngs, who takes a quick tap penalty, spots a gap and darts through it, sells his opposite number Nick Phipps a dummy before crossing the line and touching down. Owen Farrell makes no mistake.
Updated
England 20-16 Australia
49 min: There’s a delay in play as the scrum is reset , with Australia captain and hooker and captain Stephen Moore getting in a heated debate with the referee, who appears to have a problem with the way the Wallabies are packing down.
England 20-16 Australia
47 min: Scrum England just inside the Australia 22 after the referee misses a forward pass from Ben Youngs. On the sideline, England are warming up their bench.
England 20-16 Australia
Try, England (Yarde) A brilliant try for Marland Yarde, who darts up the right wing in hot pursuit of a beautifully weighted Jonathan Joseph grubber nip in just ahead of Israel Folau and touch the ball down. There was a hint of a knock-on from the England winger, but the TMO tells the referee he can award the try. Farrell converts from the touchline.
Updated
England 13-16 Australia
44 min: Ordered to “use it” by referee Jaco Peypar, Ben Youngs retrieves the ball from a ruck, darts left and sets up another rolling maul. England are getting closer and closer - they’re awarded a penalty but advantage is played to see what develops as they remain in possession.
Updated
England 13-16 Australia
42 min: England scrum on the halfway line. Scott Sio is penalised for collapsing and Owen Farrell kicks for touch to take England to the Australian 22.
Updated
Second half: England 13-16 Australia
41 min: England get the second half of their final game of the year started. Ford takes the kick-off and Australian second row Rob Simmons takes the catch. Australia win the lineout and get a maul going. England turn it over.
At half-time: Sky pundit James Haskell says England are giving Australia way too much room out wide and conceding the gain line to them. They need to fix it quickly. “The ruck is everything,” adds Sir Clive Woodward, saying England need to be quicker and more disruptive.
Updated
Half-time: England 13-16 Australia
After a truly dreadful start, England got their act together when a rout looked on the cards and only trail by three points at the break. Australia have made plenty of mistakes of their own in a very entertaining contest that is finely poised and could go either way.
England 13-16 Australia
Penalty, Australia (Foley) Australia win a penalty in front of the posts as an Englishman fails to roll away in the tackle. Foley steps up to give his team a half-time lead.
Updated
England 13-13 Australia
37 min: Australia attack with Dane Haylett-Petty breaking through two tackles before kicking over the top to chase himself. Australia get a lineout deep in the England half. England are missing too many first tackles when Australia are in possession.
Updated
England 13-13 Australia
Penalty, Australia (Foley): It’s all square at Twickenham. Australia regroup and launch another onslaught on the England line. There’s several missed tackles by vassorted England players, before Tom Wood is penalised for a high tackle. Bernard Foley does the honours.
Updated
England 13-10 Australia
TRY, England (Joseph) Slow, ponderous play from Australia scrum-half Nick Phipps, who sells Sekope Kepu short with a ridiculously indecisive pass in midfield. The prop fumbles, the ball breaks, Owen Farrell boots it long on the fly and Jonathan Joseph chases in behind the Aussie defence, gathers from a kind bounce and touches down under the posts. Farrell converts.
Updated
England 6-10 Australia
Penalty, England (Farrell): Farrell does the honours for England again with the minimum of fuss.
Updated
England 3-10 Australia
28 min: England get a penalty when Pocock refuses to release in the tackle but the ref plays advantage and allows Farrell to kick to the corner for Yarde to chase. Close, but again no cigar.
Updated
England 3-10 Australia
26 min: England No8 Nathan Hughes takes the ball out of the scrum and attempts to dart for the line and is flattened by flanker Michael Hooper. England keep possession and continue their assault on the Australia line.
Updated
England 3-10 Australia
25 min: Australia look to be through the England defence, but there’s a turnover and George Ford boots the ball long for Marland Yard to chase. It’s kicked on and Australia winger Dane Haylett-Petty has to scramble desperately to ground the ball under pressure from his opposite number. It’s another five-metre scrum and England have the put-in.
Updated
England 3-10 Australia
21 min: England are gradually working their way into this game after a dreadful start. Farrell advances deep into Australia territory and takes a big hit. Then Nathan Hughes goes a’rampaging. England are penalised for George Kruis’s failure to release in the tackle. Australia clear their lines.
Updated
England 3-10 Australia
19 min: From the kick-off, Nathan Hughes catches the ball out on the left touchline. There’s a knock on and England win the scrum after good work from Ben Youngs who’s been good with his box-kicking so far.
Updated
England 3-10 Australia
Penalty, England (Farrell) England finally get the ball out of their own half and win a penalty when Kane Douglas is penalised for - I think - entering a ruck from the side. Owen Farrell takes the tee and gets to work. He makes no mistake.
Updated
England 0-10 Australia
Penalty, Australia (Foley) Bernard Foley kicks the three points for Australia. Jonathan Joseph it was who held up Naivalu to prevent Australia from scoring the try with some heroic defending. England’s defending on the line has needed to be heroic. They’re in danger of letting this match get away from them.
Updated
England 0-7 Australia
13 min: “No clear grounding, back for the penalty,” says Fitzgibbon. It’s all Australia here. Bernard Foley has a kick for goal straight in front of the posts for an offside in the build-up to that near miss from Australia.
Updated
England 0-7 Australia
13 min: From the scrum, Australia lay siege to the England line, with Naivalu going first. Now Lopeti Timani has a go. Australia’s Tevita Kuridrani is convinced he’s got over under the posts, but Dylan Hartley claims he held him up. Again, we go upstairs to the TMO.
Updated
England 0-7 Australia
12 min: Australia get the ball over the England try line again courtesy of prop Sekope Kefu, but there’s no clear grounding. Referee Jaco Peypar sends it upstairs. On the evidence available, it won’t be given. “Inconclusive,” says the TMO Peter Fitzgibbon. Australia get the five-metre scrum.
Updated
England 0-7 Australia
11 min: Ben Youngs receives the ball at a lineout, eschews the box-kick option and passes to Ford, who drops it. Crikey. Scrum to the Aussies just outside the England 22.
Updated
England 0-7 Australia
9 min: More great play from Australia as Naivalu runs with pace at George Ford and hits him so hard that the England outside half’s boot goes flying off. England earn some respite with a penalty inside their own 22. They’re playing very poorly so far and look a little shellshocked.
Updated
England 0-7 Australia
TRY, Australia (Sefa Naivalu) Australia win the ensuing five-metre scrum against the head with a ferocious drive, play the ball out wide and Sefa Naivalu walks the ball over in the corner. Foley adds the extras with a kick that was a lot more difficult than the penalty he missed.
Updated
England 0-0 Australia
5 min: Australia look to have scored a try courtesy of Tevita Kuridrani, after a calamitous piece of defensive play from Owen Farrell. CHasing back to collect a ball punted towards England’s try line, Farrell gets himself in all sorts of bother while trying to clear his lines, the ball breaks free and Kuridrani is first to ground it. The TMO saves England after judging David Pocock to have knocked on while challenging Farrell for the ball;. That’s a real let-off for England, who have started this match very badly.
Updated
England 0-0 Australia
4 min: Australia continue their early dominance, with prop Scott Sio burrowing forward through the centre. Rob Simmons continues with the next phase of possession but there’s a turnover from Chris Robshaw.
Updated
England 0-0 Australia
2 min: Australia win the lineout and look to test England early doors, with Stephen Moore going on a rampaging run through the centre. Israel Folau wins the first penalty of the game and it’s within kicking range for Foley. He pulls it just wide of the right upright from straight in front of the posts, which is surprising.
Updated
England v Australia kicks off ...
1 min: Bernard Foley gets the game under way, playing the ball out to the right touchline, where Nathan Hughes catches it. Ben Youngs box-kicks the ball out for touch.
Now it’s the turn of the English: God Save The Queen is given the treatment, then the players take up their positions ahead of kick-off. Not long now ...
Updated
The pre-match niceties are well under way at Twickenham: There doesn’t seem to be an empty seat in the house as the crowd enjoy some pre-match warbling and await the arrival of the players, who are waiting in the tunnel. Australia captain Stephen Moore is a study of concentration, staring straight ahead and blowing out his cheeks before leading out his troops. Lined up with their arms around each other’s shoulders, they give a belting rendition of Advance Australia Fair.
Updated
Eddie Jones speaks ...
Shortly before kick-off, England’s coach says his team want to dominate the set-piece, attack with accuracy and defend in the right areas. On the subject of the sniping that’s taken place between he and his opposite number, Michael Cheika, this week he says they’ll remain friends. “Ah definitely, I’ll put my red nose on and make sure we’re still friends after this,” he says with a smile.
A discussion about the Lions tour ...
On Sky Sports, Michael Lynagh, Warren Gatland, Sir Clive Woodward and James Haskell, who is preparing to return from injury, are discussing next year’s British & Irish Lions tour to New Zealand. Haskell is keen on going and drops a sledgehammer subtle hint to Gatland, who will be managing the touring party. “The nearest I’ve ever been to the Lions was at Whipsnade Zoo,” he says.
Team news ...
Eddies Jones has made two changes from the England side that played most of last week’s attritional win over Argentina with 14 men. Nathan Hughes comes in for the injured Billy Vunipola at No8, while Marlon Yarde will fill in for Elliot Daly, who has been suspended for three weeks following his red card a week ago.
Australia coach Michael Cheika has made four changes. Scrum-half Will Genia has been summoned back to France by Stade Francais and will be replaced by Nick Phipps, who had something of a shocker against England in the series whitewash earlier this year, but claims to have learned from the experience. Kane Douglas comes into the scrum at second-row in place of Rory Arnold, while Cheika expects Lopeti Timani to give the Aussies “a lot of punch and strength in attack and defence” at No8. On the wing, Sefanaia Naivalu also returns to the starting line-up for Australia.
Today's match officials
Referee: Jaco Peyper (South Africa)
Touch judges: Craig Joubert (South Africa), Ben Whitehouse (Wales)
TMO: Peter Fitzgibbon (Ireland)
England v Australia line-ups
England: 15-Mike Brown, 14-Marland Yarde, 13-Jonathan Joseph, 12-Owen Farrell, 11-Jonny May, 10-George Ford, 9-Ben Youngs; 1-Mako Vunipola, 2-Dylan Hartley (c), 3-Dan Cole, 4-Courtney Lawes, 5-George Kruis, 6-Chris Robshaw, 7-Tom Wood, 8-Nathan Hughes
Replacements: 16-Jamie George, 17-Joe Marler, 18-Kyle Sinckler 19-Charlie Ewels, 20-Teimana Harrison, 21-Danny Care, 22-Ben Te’o, 23-Henry Slade
Australia: 15-Israel Folau, 14-Dane Haylett-Petty, 13-Tevita Kuridrani, 12-Reece Hodge, 11-Sefa Naivalu, 10-Bernard Foley, 9-Nick Phipps; 1-Scott Sio, 2-Stephen Moore (c), 3-Sekope Kepu, 4-Kane Douglas, 5-Rob Simmons, 6-David Pocock, 7-Michael Hooper, 8-Lopeti Timani
Replacements: 16-Tolu Latu, 17-James Slipper, 18-Tom Robertson, 19-Dean Mumm, 20-Sean McMahon, 21-Nick Frisby, 22-Quade Cooper, 23-Henry Speight
Let battle commence ...
Following their 3-0 home series defeat at the hands of England in June, Australia travel to Twickenham with thoughts of revenge on their mind. Unbeaten in 14 Tests and just one win away from going a whole calendar year unbeaten, their hosts have vowed to “break the Aussies mentally and physically” in what seems likely to be a brutal and possibly acrimonious affair at English rugby HQ.
“We know they’re going to come out in the first 20 minutes like there’s no tomorrow,” said England’s Aussie coach Eddie Jones, who was mocked up as a clown in The Australian newspaper in the build-up to the game. “We’ve practised, we’re equipped to handle it and we’ll win the game in the last 20. But I don’t think fear is an element of our team makeup. The players are sharp and on it. They want this game, it’s a big game for us. I don’t think you have fear when you have clarity and confidence about the way you want to play and confidence from how you’ve prepared.”
Australia have had a rough trough of it lately. As well as getting whitewashed on their own patch by England, they lost home and away to New Zealand in the Rugby Championship, a tournament in which they also lost one of their matches against a South Africa side that is fast becoming a laughing stock. On their recent travels in the northern hemisphere, they have seen off Wales, recorded narrow wins over Scotland and France and most recently lost a tight contest against Ireland in Dublin. If they are to return home for Christmas with their heads held high, they need a win today. Kick off is at 2.30pm GMT.
Updated
