That’s all from me, thanks for reading. England and Eddie roll on to next week’s date with the Wallabies. Bye for now.
Our man on the scene at Twickenham is Robert Kitson, and here is his match report:
Eddie Jones speaks: “It was a good positive performance, we went out there to play with a more aggressive mindset, the game lends itself to that with quick ruck ball at the moment, and I think we achieved that.
“It’s a project, each game we want to improve a little bit, and by the time we get to the World Cup, we want to be the best team in the world.
“You can only play against what the opposition do ... we probably left four tries out there ... I liked the effort in the second half, those games are difficult to play, when you’re in front, the crowd expects you to win, and they go for more pints than they watch rugby ... we only got half a Mexican wave today, so we were pretty pleased with that.”
Will Farrell be able to play next week? “We don’t have to worry about that ... he’s got a Covid situation, when we find out [if he can play], we’ll work it out.”
Will George Ford be getting a call up? “I don’t know whether you’ve seen my selection notes, or not ... I can go and get them if you want? [laughs] We’ll be hopeful Owen’s available [next week]. We’ll make a selection after Sunday to see what we need for the next game.”
On Australia: “They’ve had three or four months together, they are improving, they are well-coached by [Dave] Rennie ... but they’ll have a different team [with no Quade Cooper or Samu Kerevi] ... they’re a strong team and we’ll have to play really well ... We got a bit careless at the breakdown at times today, and Australia are a team that really test you at the breakdown.
“I thought there wasn’t a bad player out there for us ... when you play Tonga, who were struggling a bit, it’s hard to make an assessment ... [Sam] Underhill should be alright for next week.”
And finally, he is asked by Mark Durden-Smith if there is anyone in the England camp who tells Jones things he needs to work on: “All the time mate ... I yell and scream at them, and then they go.”
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Grant Doorey, Tonga’s acting head coach, speaks to Amazon Prime: “Fundamentally, you’ve got to focus on the core reasons, and it’s discipline ... you can’t compete with those sorts of [penalty] statistics ... we need to make sure we give ourselves an opportunity to use the possession we work so hard for.
“The gulf is obvious, but the more opportunity we get to play games like this, the more motivated we get to ‘close’ those games ... we’ve got to raise our standard and I think over time we will manage to do that.
“We’d love to create more pressure ... it’s a pretty hard game to play without the ball. Fundamentally the key thing is our discipline, we need to be more disciplined.”
Tonga gave away nine penalties to England’s nine, two free-kicks to England’s none, and of course they had two men yellow-carded, and one sent off.
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Presuming Owen Farrell has to isolate for 10 days with his case of Covid-19, Lawes will presumably captain the team again next week against Australia.
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Courtney Lawes, England’s captain for the day, speaks to Amazon Prime: “Little bit to work on, but it’s great to be back here with all the fans, the atmosphere was unbelievable, and it was nice to get a few points at the end and bring a bit of entertainment.
“I kind of knew if ‘Faz’ [Owen Farrell] couldn’t play that I’d be the first choice [to be captain], so I just slotted in, and did what I could. It’s obviously amazing, I didn’t know if I would get the chance [to captain England at Twickenham] ... Really proud, especially with this group of boys, and to put on a performance like that.”
And looking ahead to the match against Australia, next week: “I think it’s going to be a great game, of course I believe we can go toe to toe with anyone really, there are a few things to fix up, and hopefully you’ll see a better England next week.”
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Henry Slade, the player of the match, speaks to Amazon Prime and is asked how much fun that was to play in: “It was awesome. We’ve been trying to bring a bit of new life to our attack, and I think you saw that a little bit today ... we’ve been spending a lot of time working on the attack.
He says the new players brought into camp have made a positive impact, and adds: “We’ve got a good mix of youth and experience ... I think we’ve got a good balance at the moment.”
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Full-time! England 69-3 Tonga
Tonga tired, predictably, but England played some nice stuff there and will consider it a job well done. It was 11 tries that Eddie Jones’s men scored, in the end. Slade was excellent, and Smith caught the eye when he came on.
Try! 80 min: England 69-3 Tonga (Mitchell)
And that’s that.
Try! 78 min: England 62-3 Tonga (Blamire)
Oh, beautiful work by the fly-half Smith, chucking a lovely dummy to account for one defender, breaking the line, and then producing a perfect offload to his left to the Newcastle hooker Jamie Blamire, who has a clear run to the line. Nick Mullins points out that Blamire has played three matches for England and scored five tries, which is some strike rate.
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75 min: Disallowed try for England!
Alex Mitchell sprints over, set up by Curry, but it’s pulled back for offside from a previous kick. The official attendance at Twickenham is 81,022.
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Try! 73 min: England 55-3 Tonga (Smith)
Now that’s a lovely try. From the restart, Slade gets hands on ball and burns off a would-be tackler on the outside, from inside the England 22. He has options to left and right, and carries the ball in two hands, having time to choose the best route to the try-line. Slade spots Smith on the inside, serves up a perfect pass, and Smith roars to the line. Lovely stuff and typically classy creativity from Slade of Exeter.
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Try! England 48-3 England
The England pack, and Jamie George, rumble over for another try. That is George’s second five-pointer of the match, so he, Youngs and May all have two now. George is immediately taken off by Jones. Smith strikes a good conversion.
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Red card for Tonga! 69 min: Viliami Fine
One of the Tongan replacements, Viliami Fine, gets his marching orders soon after coming on. It was initially going to be a penalty for a high tackle by Fine on Radwan, and then he chose to try and elbow/shoulder Smith while they were on the floor.
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68 min: Over on Twitter, Lee Calvert has brought my attention to this Welsh person, who is suggesting red cards all over the shop for England.
‘Jonny May stupid swan dive. Should be a red card at the very minimum’
‘England player’s foot in touch there. Should be a red card at the very minimum’
Tom Curry intentionally blocking the kick chase. Should be a red card at the very minimum. #ENGvTON
— tyg (@Tygwydd) November 6, 2021
67 mins: Youngs, Genge and Sinckler come off for England. Mitchell, Marler and Stuart come on.
65 min: There’s a party atmosphere at Twickenham now, with three blasts of that somewhat irritating trumpet phrase coming over the PA in quick succession, naturally followed by cheers. There isn’t much to look at on the field if you like your rugby matches tense and close, but England are playing some reasonable stuff against these Tongan lambs to the slaughter.
63 min: Things are becoming a little more ragged for Tonga now. They are charged down in-goal, following a lovely jinking run by Curry for England, at the end of which he looked to Dombrant on his right shoulder.
60 min: Try! England 41-3 Tonga (May)
Spaces are opening up all over the field for England now. Youngs offloads to May, who angles his run to the try-line towards the posts. Hes tackled just before the line, but manages to reach over and dot down for his second try of the match. Smith converts.
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58 min: Tonga begin to unload their bench with a couple of replacements, or finishers, as Eddie Jones would have it. Now Jonny May sprints into space on the left wing, and tries to sneak over for a try in the corner, before deciding to try and offload to a teammate inside him, but he is forced into touch. Mark Atkinson comes on for England in the centres, for his international debut, replacing Tuilagi. Eddie Jones recently described Atkinson as a man who is ‘desperate to get on the bus - everything’s falling out of his backpack’, with regards to his late international recognition.
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54 min: Sinckler offers up a tremendous no-look pop pass to his teammate Genge in midfield. Tonga then win a penalty and have a bit of field position in the right-hand corner. But England then win put-in at the scrum five metres from their line, and then a penalty with a big scrum.
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Try! 50 min: England 34-3 Tonga (Youngs)
Tonga have a scrum near halfway. The alert England No 9 Youngs rips the ball out of the hands of Vailanu, the No 8, and has a clear run to the try-line. That was careless by the Tongan back-rower. The conversion is missed again, Slade hitting the right-hand post. Furbank goes off and Marcus Smith comes on.
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48 min: Marcus Smith is warming up. That’s probably the last thing this overworked Tonga defence needs. The match has been scrappy, in general, in these early minutes of the second half.
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46 min: Yellow card for Tonga! (Fifita)
England spin the ball out right around halfway. Fifita tries to intercept it one-handed, but pats it forwards as he does so, and the referee decides it’s a sin bin for denying the hosts that attacking opportunity which may well have ended in a try. On commentary, David Flatman says he thinks it was a genuine attempt to catch the ball, and I firmly agree. A bit harsh on Tonga but they will be down a man for 10 minutes.
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45 min: Tonga take it through a few phases before Morath tries a diagonal grubber kick which is well gathered by an astutely-positioned England full-back Steward.
41 min: England are on the move immediately, Slade offering a nice offload to Tuilagi in midfield, and sending his centre colleague storming into space. But then, England win a penalty for a late tackle spotted by the TMO. They kick the penalty for touch, and have a very hand attacking platform, but get the lineout wrong, and Tonga win a scrum five metres out.
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Second half kick-off!
Here we go.
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Thank you Lee and hello everyone. That was much as expected from England in the first half, and indeed Tonga, except perhaps the rather soft concession of the first try.
Jonny May said a few weeks ago that his main job for the ‘old England’ was chasing kicks. Are we seeing a new England this afternoon? Not really, on the evidence so far, but they have been undeniably efficient against opponents that must be fearing a cricket score in the second half. Alex Dombrandt has come on in place of Sam Underhill.
I’m handing over the commentary reins for this match over to my colleague Luke McLaughlin, who will take you through the second half.
Half-time musings
“Everything is proceeding as I have foreseen” as The Emperor would put it. Tonga were manful in their efforts to contain England in the middle part of the half; their scrum in particular going well. But slowly, inevitably, England are grinding their greater ability and preparation onto the game and scoreboard.
Manu Tuilagi has been busy on his return to the team and some decent flashes from George Furbank have shown his talent. You have to fear for the Sea Eagles when England start to empty their bench, with Dombrandt’s carrying and Marcus Smith’s magic to torment the ever tiring defence.
HALF TIME! England 29 - 3 Tonga
PEEEEEP! That’s the end of the first period and all is going as expected.
TRY! England 29 - 3 Tonga (Ben Youngs)
40+2 mins. Itoje takes a lineout catch and the ball is popped by George to Youngs darting up the blind side. He has too much pace for the increasingly knackered Tongan defence.
Slade pushes the conversion wide.
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39 mins. Penalty England in the middle of the park and time is off as Underhill is down after taking a bit to the head/neck/shoulder area. He’s sat up and chatting with the physios so looks not too serious hopefully.
37 mins. Telusa Veianu intercepts and flies up the right touchline! He runs firty metres, steps Steward one way, then the other but the Leicester fullback breaks the running stride just enough to allow the retreating captain Lawes to put in a huge covering tackle and dislodge the ball.
A heartbreaker for Veianu, but great defensive work by Steward to slow him up and the lung-busting scramble effort by Courtney Lawes.
TRY! England 24 - 3 Tonga (Maro Itoje)
34 mins. Lawes pops the ball inside to Genge who busts through a weak tackle from Fisi’ihoi and gallops into open space in the 22 to bear down onto Veainu. He clatters the Tongan fullback and offloads to Itoje who smashes over and grounds it on the second effort.
Slade adds the two.
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YELLOW CARD! Solomone Kata (Tonga)
32 mins. Solomone Kata clatters into Johnny May in the air and the ref is having a look at the replays. Kata had his eyes on the ball and was moving towards catching it, but May was six feet above him actually catching it.
It’s yellow.
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TRY! England 17 - 3 Tonga (Johnny May)
29 mins. England attack from around halfway. Some fast-hands from Furbank on the right set Tuilagi free who runs over one tackler before being halted by Morath. The ball is then worked left and Steward, joining the line from fullback, feeds May who finishes.
Tonga can’t live with the England attack when it works coast to coast and back again like that.
Slade converts.
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26 mins. The England pack do a much less proficient job of the latest attacking lineout and the ball is cleared long and deep by Morath. Radwan brings it out and Tonga are penalised again, this time at the breakdown.
The visitors have stemmed what looked like a developing tidal bore of England points in the first quarter.
24 mins. Vailanu, possibly shagged out from his big carry, does a horrible job of tackling Furbank and the England out-half is through the line and free. He’s hauled down and on the next pahse there’s a high tackle on Tuilagi. Penalty England and it’s sent to the corner again.
22 mins. Another strong Tonga scrum allows Vailanu to have a big 20 metre carry to put his side into the England half. They have a few more phases but it fizzles out as has been the case every time so far.
PENALTY! England 10 - 3 Tonga (Sonatane Takalua)
19 mins. Immediately from the restart Curry is pinged for a blocking run. Takalua ponies up once more and this time slots it from 40 metres.
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MISSED PENALTY! England 10 - 0 Tonga (Sonatane Takalua)
17 mins. The tackle line is very keen from England and this time they are too mustard and caught offside. Takalua points to the posts, takes the kick himself and shanks it horribly. “Not quite” says a far too kind Nick Mullins on commentary.
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TRY! England 10 - 0 Tonga (Jamie George)
14 mins. England have a penalty in the Tonga 22. They send it to the corner rather than kicking for posts and it’s a simple as you like catch-drive-try to George driving off the back of the maul.
Slade pushes the conversion attempt just wide the other side of the posts. In his defence, both of the kicks so far have been from way out on the right touchline.
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9 mins. After Tonga win a scrum penalty for Sinckler not holding his side up they are on the attack in the England half. It’s developing into something promising but the ball is thrown to Tuilagi by Sione Vailanu after a good break.
Tonga’s scrum is a big positive so far.
7 mins. Tonga have a solid looking scrum in the middle of the park, bringing Walter Fifita is off his wing and bumps through an Underhill tackle. A few phases later the England flanker refocuses his shame at missing that one on smashing the ball loose in his next defensive effort.
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TRY! England 5 - 0 Tonga (Adam Radwan)
3 mins. A rushed and pulled clearance from Morath gives England their first chance at an attacking lineout on the Tongan 22. The ball is thrown left through hands but the Sea Eagles defence repels a few carries. The ball then comes back all the way right to Adam Radwan who firstly steps a very weak Morath tackle attempt then forces himself over under pressure.
Slade, on kicking duty today, pulls the conversion just wide.
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KICK-OFF!
1 min. Kurt Morath chips the ball forward into the arms of a jumping Maro Itoje and we’re underway
The teams are out, the anthems are belted, the Sipi Tau is completed and we’re ready for kick-off...
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“George Furbank at 10 is nothing.” points out Christopher Dale, “I’ve seen Ayoola Erinle playing at centre.”
Lest we forget; twelve years ago this month, England under Martin Johnson started this backline against New Zealand:
Paul Hodgson, Jonny Wilkinson; Matt Banahan, Dan Hipkiss, Ayoola Erinle, Ugo Monye; Mark Cueto.
AGAINST NEW ZEALAND!
Kick-off delayed!
Due to the late arrival of the Tonga squad after some traffic issues, the game will now start at 15:25.
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Andy Bradshaw emails: “Afternoon Lee, Curry at 8 is baffling, I really can’t see why you’d take an excellent 6 with a great partnership with Underhill and play him at 8? The lengths Eddie will go to to not play Dombrandt and Simmonds.”
I suppose if you’re going to try something, then Tonga at home is the place. However, I don’t know what Jones wants to see with Curry at 8 and Lawes at 6? With Billy Vunipola now gone, options at 8 need to be looked at, but that for me is Dombrandt as first look. I remain unconvinced by Sam Simmonds as an international loose forward.
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“What do we want?” asks PH on the email before answering, “Ben Youngs to pass the ball. And quickly!”
Temper your expectations there. Although, Youngs is probably due his one very good game in five, as per his usual pattern.
Pre-match prose for your consideration.
Marcus Smith is a player everyone should get excited about. Andy Bull finds out more about his rise here.
TEAMS
Much ado about Covid in the build up. England captain and stand-off, Owen Farrell testing positive for the spiteful virus of our times on Friday meant Eddie did not name his starting lineup until 90 minutes before kick-off. And when he did finally name it Northampton’s George Furbank - usually a fullback - is starting at 10. Well well, clearly Marcus Smith’s minor leg injury is still a worry. Courtney Lawes takes over as captain and Mark Atkinson is promoted to the bench.
Away from half-back, there are starts for Leicester’s impressive Freddie Steward and Newcastle’s young flyer Adam Radwan. In the forwards, Tom Curry starts at No 8 ahead of Alex Dombrandt.
Alex Mitchell and Jamie Blamire will make their debuts from the bench.
Tonga make nine changes, a reflection of the fixture today being inside the sanctioned Test window.
England: Freddie Steward; Adam Radwan, Henry Slade, Manu Tuilagi, Jonny May; George Furbank, Ben Youngs; Ellis Genge, Jamie George, Kyle Sinckler, Maro Itoje, Jonny Hill, Courtney Lawes (captain), Sam Underhill, Tom Curry.
Replacements: Jamie Blamire, Joe Marler, Will Stuart, Charlie Ewels, Alex Dombrandt, Alex Mitchell, Marcus Smith, Mark Atkinson.
Tonga: Telusa Veainu; Walter Fifita, Mailetoa Hingano, Afusipa Taumoepeau, Solomone Kata; Kurt Morath, Sonatane Takulua (captain); Sigfried Fisi’ihoi, Paula Ngauamo, Ben Tameifuna, Halaleva Fifita, Tanginoa Halaifonua, Lopeti Timani, Mateaki Kafatolu, Sione Vailanu.
Replacements: Siua Maile, Loni Uhila, Ma’afu Fia, Setofano Funaki, Onehunga Havili, Leon Fukofuka, James Faiva, Viliami Fine.
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Preamble
England today start their Autumn campaign facing Tonga who are still reeling for being comprehensively put away by Scotland last week. Albeit, the squad the Sea Eagles will put on the field today is largely unrecognisable to the one mauled at Murrayfield.
Eddie Jones has shouted his way to another new backroom staff as he begins the latest two-years-out Rugby World Cup cycle with new squad additions, but the starting line looks mostly familiar.
This is the third time the teams have faced each other and the first time away from a World Cup. England have won all of them and by a margin of 40-odd points; even with all the Tongan changes, it’s difficult to foresee a different result today.
Actually, that’s not true, its quite easy to see the result being much worse for the visitors.
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