Andy Bull at Twickenham
Match report, from Paul Rees
That’s all from me, thanks for reading, and do come join me for the All Blacks at Murrayfield:
Michael Hooper speaks: “It got away from us at the end. There were a couple of decisions that didn’t go our way. It’s hard to judge when you’re on the field, but I thought they were both tries.” And here’s Dylan Hartley: “Very happy. We’ve come out the other side and I’m really proud of the guys today. We play to win, every week we focus on improving. Today we executed our game. Nine and 10 directed the game very well.”
Updated
What to make of that. England ran out the deserved winners with their biggest ever win over Australia but had Koroibete been awarded that try in the second half, which was ruled out for crossing, it would have been 13 all and very much game on. Here’s Eddie Jones: “We always back ourselves to play out 80 minutes. Our finishers did a great job, our scrum did a superb job, a great team for us. There wasn’t much in the game but we got the bounce of the ball. Seeing as most of the commentary last week about us going backwards at a rate of knots it’s not a bad win.”
Updated
Full-time: England 30-6 Australia
Farrell misses the kick and that ends an entertaining contest. Australia will be hurting.
Try! England 30-6 Australia (Care)
This is getting silly now. Jonny May breaks away via a brilliant bit of skill with his feet to flick the ball into his arms, and when he is eventually caught Care is on hand to grab the offload and go over in the corner.
79 min Farrell misjudges his kick. The scoreline is not really a reflection of this contest.
Updated
Try! England 25-6 Australia (May)
Jonny May races after a Care kick down the right wing, claims the bouncing ball and spins out of a couples of tackles to crash over the line.
Updated
77 min The brilliant Joe Launchbury, who has made more tackles than anyone on the pitch, is handed man of the match.
76 min An England scrum near the halfway line is reset.
74 min Care dishes out another excellent box-kick, relieving some pressure.
73 min Farrell adds the kick from a slight angle and makes it England 20-6 Australia.
Updated
Try! England 18-6 Australia (Joseph)
A poor pass by the frustrated Hooper puts his team under pressure and Beale is forced to boot downfield from deep. Danny Care replies a moment later with a clever kick into space and Jonathan Joseph gives chase, gathering up the ball skilfully and sliding over the line!
Updated
70 min I didn’t go off and make a cup of tea, that TMO decision just took forever. Australia have now had two tries disallowed by the TMO, England have had one confirmed.
No try!
Ben O’Keeffe rules that Stephen Moore was crossing in the buildup! Michael Cheika cannot believe it.
69 min Suddenly a brilliant break by Koroibete, who is proving such a handful. He offloads and Australia work it through a couple of phases into the centre before bundling over the line, but was it grounded? Chris Robshaw thinks he’s held it up. TMO.
68 min Hooper’s decisions over when to kick and when to go for the corner have not been vindicated.
67 min Moore’s first lineout is a low-ish one secured by captain Hooper. But in the ensuing maul Australia are adjudged to have illegally brought it down and that’s a big win for England when they were under pressure.
65 min Daly is forced to retreat and kick the ball out of play on the slide, which brings play back for an Australian penalty. Foley boots to the corner.
64 min Stephen Moore and Joe Marler both enter the game among several changes.
Penalty! England 13-6 Australia (Foley)
Bernard Foley seems to slightly mishit another kick, but it goes through the posts all the same.
63 min A penalty to Australia for offside, and Owen Farrell is told to have a word with his team and ensure there are no more little errors. Foley will go for the posts.
61 min That was extremely daft by the former captain. Fortunately for him, Itoje quickly scrambles it back into England hands inside their own 22 and they run it through Daly who is tackled into touch.
60 min Australia come forwards once more but England are defending excellently, and actually make ground after a series of tackles. Beale boots high into the air and Robshaw is penalised for a late challenge on the kick – needless.
58 min Scrum to Australia in the centre of the field after the 527th knock-on of the match. From it they gain a penalty, which Reece Hodge curls away from touch and straight back to England. What a waste.
56 min Farrell adds the conversion, curling it through the posts to make it England 13-3 Australia.
Try! England 11-3 Australia (Daly)
“It’s not conclusive so we are going to stick with the try,” referee Ben O’Keeffe tells Michael Hooper. Daylight on the scoreboard for England.
Updated
The replays seem inconclusive. The camera rock and rolls the bouncing ball. This is tense.
54 min What a kick this is by Farrell. It stays just in field (I think) and Daly races up the wing, kicking the ball towards the try line and chasing it down to score. But was the ball out of play? TMO time...
53 min Itoje is caught delaying with the ball and an Australian hand scoops it back from him. A moment later Australia seem in trouble when Kerevi is forced to run it from deep but he does brilliantly, charging up field and almost setting up a try before Kuridrani drops his pass. And then...
51 min England fashion a little break and then spread it wide to the wing where Hartley was lurking. They seem to be building pressure but suddenly Koroibete smashes through Owen Farrell and the Wallabies pounce, winning a penalty for their efforts. Pats on the back all round for the men in green and gold. Farrell has had the wind taken out of him.
49 min It has been a pretty good start to the second half for Australia. They are now restored to fifteen players with Beale’s return and in the meantime they’ve reduced the deficit on the scoreboard.
Penalty! England 6-3 Australia (Hodge)
Reece Hodge booms the kick through the posts with plenty to spare.
47 min An offside and Australia have a penalty just inside England’s half. Hodge will have a go at this tough kick.
46 min Hooper has returned to the action – he was everywhere for Australia in the first half. Beale still has another four minutes in the bin.
45 min Another drop, this time by and England player in midfield – the weather has deprived us of a flowing game of rugby.
44 min Scrum Australia. They secure it and a flurry of kicks follow before McCalman grabs it and runs, and when England win it back May finds touch.
43 min England make progress down the right side via Itoje but the ball then slips out of Vunipola’s hands as he approaches the 22 when several team-mates were lurking in space on the far side.
42 min Foley punts a long kick to England’s back three who switch it from right to left for Daly to run. Hooper will be back on the pitch in a couple of minutes.
Kick-off!
England get the second half under way.
Beale insisted he hadn’t deliberately cut out the pass and had tried to make a catch, but the replay didn’t corroborate that theory.
Half-time: England 6-0 Australia
Foley boots the ball into the stands and that’s the half. Michael Cheika is fuming and lets off some steam in the direction of a couple of officials on the sideline on his way towards the dressing room.
Updated
Sin-bin! (Beale)
39 min The Wallabies pinch it, race downfield, concede a penalty, England race upfield, that’s intercepted but fumbled, and Kurtley Beale is sin-binned for a deliberate knock-on. He’s very unhappy about the decision but it matters not and that’s a two-man advantage for England now. A chaotic and scrappy end to the half.
Updated
38 min I assumed Ford opted to kick because he had a penalty advantage to fall back on, but apparently not. An odd option, then. Anyway, England are quickly back on the front foot and looking to finish the half with a flourish.
37 min Ford attempts a drop-goal but he is pretty far out and it isn’t dead straight, and he hooks it wide.
Updated
36 min Eventually Australia take it out of the scrum and run... and immediately knock-on.
35 min Scrums are awful to watch.
Updated
34 min The first of Hooper’s 10 minutes in the bin is soaked up by the restart and the next couple go by as the scrum is reset several times.
Penalty! England 6-0 Australia (Farrell)
And Owen Farrell does the business. With an extra man it’s advantage England.
Updated
32 min The penalty is right under the posts...
Sin-bin! (Hooper)
31 min This time it is England’s turn to reject a kickable chance and go for the corner. Interesting. They do the next bit and secure the lineout via Lawes, and suddenly just about every England player piles in. They go close to the line with the crowd roaring behind them, then work through several pick-and-gos. They get a penalty advantage and when they work it wide it all falls down – and the referee turns back to sin-bin Hooper for numerous infringements.
Updated
29 min The replay after that disallowed try, incidentally, showed a fuming Michael Cheika sarcastically applauding and using a few choice words under his breath.
Updated
28 min Ford tries a kick for Daly on the far side but Beale does wonderfully well to leap and pinch the ball from the wing’s grasp.
27 min This is brilliant by Australia. Quick hands shift the ball to space on the left wing and when Kerevi slides a low kick through it looks as if Koroibete will score. He can’t quite get control of the bouncing ball with his feet but Hooper slides in to seemingly score instead. However, the referee checks with the TMO who shows the captain was offside.
Updated
25 min The Wallabies are given a penalty and this time they reject the chance to go for the posts and instead kick for the corner. A bold call, and it quickly becomes the wrong call when Itoje claims the lineout.
24 min An exchange of kicks ends with a knock-on by May under pressure from Foley chasing his own up-and-under. It looked like May was hit slightly in the air and he’s not happy about the decision, but it’s not changing.
22 min He misses! Foley pulls the kick left of the posts and brings a cheer from the Twickenham crowd. Horrible strike.
21 min England are penalised for holding on to the ball after the tackle – Jonny May the guilty man who got a little isolated in midfield. Foley will take on the straightforward kick.
20 min The ball squirms loose at a ruck and Robshaw reacts, throwing a boot in. It ricochets back on to England’s side and Youngs boots long and into space – on commentary, Clive Woodward approves of the tactic.
18 min Australia are putting pressure on with the latest scrum and England are warned that they are in danger of conceding a penalty. Eventually the scrum holds up and Australia work it first wide and then back into the centre of the field. Genia moves the ball quickly for Foley who kicks towards May near the corner – who almost drops the ball into touch but just about regathers.
Updated
16 min Brilliant this from Michael Hooper, slamming a hand into Hughes who drops the slippery ball. Meanwhile Sam Underhill is going off for a head injury assessment, which means Itoje is on earlier than expected, to a cheer from the home crowd. Robshaw will shift to No7.
15 min This time the ball squirts out of the scrum quickly. Youngs reacts well and shifts it wide for May. Eventually a smart kick by Farrell pushes Australia right back into the corner.
14 min Kerevi punches a hole in the England defence but the gains are wasted when Genia passes forwards.
12 min England eventually take the ball from the scrum and Youngs makes a low kick, but Australia bring the ball straight back. A couple of huge hits and a dart down the wing by Koroibete rouse the Twickenham crowd before England win a penalty and Youngs kicks again, this time going long and into space.
10 min A minute is eaten up at the scrum, which is reset and then reset again. This is going to be an interesting duel between these front rows. By the way, Michael Keene is bang right when he emails to ask if the referee is New Zealand’s Ben O’Keeffe – not from South Africa as previously stated.
7 min May almost intercepts a high pass out to the right wing but can’t quite collect it. He would have had a brilliant opportunity had he been able to. Knock-on, Australia scrum on halfway.
Penalty! England 3-0 Australia (Farrell)
Owen Farrell slots the penalty from perhaps 40 metres at a slight angle and England lead.
Updated
5 min The slippery conditions are causing a few early fumbles which is making for a stop-start game thus far. The latest error gives England a scrum and they work it to the open side. Launchbury hits his man and offloads to Robshaw and suddenly things open up, with Farrell on the overlap, but eventually the ball squirms loose in a tackle and the referee brings it back for a penalty to England. Very kickable.
3 min Australia get the first scrum of the match after a knock-on in the air as May went for a high catch, which he almost took brilliantly. The Wallabies are given a free-kick from the set piece which they boot long. The first refrains of Swing Low ring out.
1 min England claim the ball and Youngs box-kicks into Australian territory. A kicking duel ensues and is ended by Foley who finds touch for an English lineout just inside their own half.
Updated
Kick-off!
Our Kiwi referee gives his whistle a peep at a drizzly, grey Twickenham and Foley boots a deep kick.
Updated
The players are out on the pitch all lined up for the anthems. The atmosphere at Twickenham was pretty meek against Argentina last week, I thought, but I don’t think that will be the case this afternoon.
Updated
Added spice:
Added @WorldRugby Ranking spice at Twickenham tomorrow as @EnglandRugby (2) play @qantaswallabies (3). A win by Australia would see them steal England's Number 2 ranking.
— Brett Gosper (@brettgosper) November 17, 2017
Kick-off is a mere 10 minutes away. Here’s the coin toss in action which one of the teams must have won, but I have not been able to discover who landed that early psychological blow.
There have been the usual barbs flying between Eddie Jones and Michael Cheika this week, but perhaps the most interesting was this line from the Australia coach suggesting England are “united” behind a ploy of late tackles:
“England are a big, powerful side and they will try to bully us around,” said Cheika. “They try to bully us at the scrum, the lineout and the ruck and then they niggle, trying to get into our half-back after he passes and the 10 after he passes. There is so much footage of that.
“The fact they are unified behind that strategy means we are going to have to look them in the eye and take them on if we are going to be able to resist that.”
England rugby fans #bantz. Grumpy looks terrifying:
For some pre-match reading to get us in the mood, here’s Chris Robshaw on England’s rivalry with Australia, Eddie Jones’ management and making Twickenham a fortress:
Preamble
We are being treated to an abundance of England v Australia sporting action at the moment and this match might just be the best chance of English success – even if it is masterminded by an Australian. England are slight favourites but Eddie Jones’s team delivered an underwhelming performance against Argentina last weekend while the Wallabies showed fortitude in beating Wales. Jones has labelled Australia the form team in the world and certainly they arrive at Twickenham carrying a far greater threat than they did last year, when England recovered from a sluggish first half to win 37-21.
Jones has restored Owen Farrell to his backline while Maro Itoje will be expected to make a significant impact from the bench – Courtney Lawes and Joe Launchbury start at second row. Michael Cheika has chosen Kurtley Beale at full-back who will look to join Australia’s lines of attack and take up the role of playmaker, as Nick Evans explains:
There is always something special about meetings between England and Australia, in any sport, but often one team are in the ascendency while the other (usually England, let’s be honest) are in some kind of funk or daze, or are quickly left in one after approximately three bouncers from Mitchell Johnson. Not here: England have won 20 of their 21 matches under Jones and two Six Nations crowns; Australia are unbeaten in their past seven Tests with the All Blacks their prize scalp. This England v Australia is beautifully poised.
The teams
England: A Watson; J May, J Joseph, O Farrell, E Daly; G Ford, B Youngs; M Vunipola, D Hartley (capt), D Cole, J Launchbury, C Lawes, Robshaw, S Underhill, N Hughes.
Replacements: J George, J Marler, H Williams, M Itoje, S Simmonds, D Care, H Slade, S Rokoduguni.
Australia: K Beale; M Koroibete, T Kuridrani, S Kerevi, R Hodge: B Foley, W Genia; S Sio, T Polota-Nau, S Kepu, R Simmons, A Coleman, N Hanigan, M Hooper (capt), S McMahon.
Replacements (one to be omitted): S Moore, T Robertson, A Alaalatoa, M Philip, B McCalman, L Timani, N Phipps, K Hunt, H Speight.
Updated
