England face Australia as they begin their Autumn Nations Series campaign at Twickenham this weekend.
It is a first outing for Steve Borthwick’s side since their impressive summer tour to Argentina and the United States, where they won a Test series against a weakened Pumas outfit 2-0 and then thrashed the USA in a one-off match despite missing most of their key stars called up for British and Irish Lions duty Down Under.
It was a stirring series of performances delivered by a mostly inexperienced squad and continued the progress made under Borthwick, who had England still in contention for Six Nations glory on the final day of the competition earlier this year before they eventually finished as runners-up to France.
Now the focus is on making sure their global ranking - currently fifth - is as strong as possible heading into the draw for the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia, which takes place on December 3.
That starts against old rivals Australia, with games against Fiji, New Zealand and Argentina also coming up this autumn.
The Wallabies - ranked at seventh in the world currently - have shown clear signs of improvement of late under head coach Joe Schmidt, pushing the Lions extremely close in the second Test following a disappointing opening loss and then beating them in the third as they went down 2-1 to banish fears of an embarrassing whitewash on home soil.
That series was followed by a mixed Rugby Championship, where they pulled off a stunning comeback on opening weekend to topple reigning world champions South Africa in Cape Town but won only one match thereafter, defeated by Argentina at home and losing both Bledisloe Cup matches to the All Blacks, eventually finishing third.
Australia edged past Eddie Jones’ Japan 19-15 in a warm-up game in Tokyo last week ahead of their meetings with England, Italy, Ireland and France.
England have been gaining insight into the cricket team’s ‘Bazball’ mentality with The Ashes series looming large this winter, while there will be much focus on Nika Amashukeli’s refereeing of the breakdown after reports that Borthwick highlighted to him this week as many as 40 examples of Australia’s alleged repeated illegal tactics in that area.
England vs Australia date, kick-off time and venue
England vs Australia in the Quilter Nations Series takes place on Saturday November 1, 2025 - the same day as the two nations also square off again in the rugby league Ashes in Liverpool.
Kick-off is scheduled for 3:10pm GMT at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham.
How to watch England vs Australia
TV channel: The game is available to watch live in the UK on TNT Sports 1, with coverage beginning at 2pm.
Live stream: TNT Sports subscribers can also catch the action live online via the Discovery+ app and website.
Live blog: Follow England vs Australia on Saturday with Standard Sport’s live blog.
England vs Australia team news
George Ford has been rewarded for his fine performances in Argentina with the starting fly-half role for England, with Fin Smith only on the bench and Marcus Smith omitted completely from the matchday squad this weekend.
There is no Owen Farrell in the wider group despite his summer return to Saracens and Test rugby as a late call-up for the Lions.
Tommy Freeman lines up at outside centre alongside Northampton team-mate Fraser Dingwall, with Immanuel Feyi-Waboso and Tom Roebuck on the wings and Freddie Steward at full-back. Alex Mitchell is the starting scrum-half.
In the front row, Fin Baxter and Joe Heyes start either side of Jamie George, with Lions trio Ellis Genge, Luke Cowan-Dickie - set for his 50th cap - and Will Stuart all replacements.
Lions captain Maro Itoje returns to skipper England from lock, where he is partnered by the versatile Ollie Chessum.
Guy Pepper is picked ahead of Tom Curry - who has yet to play this season - as he earns just his fourth cap in the back row, alongside Sam Underhill and Ben Earl.
Tom Willis is now out of the England picture after agreeing to join Bordeaux, while Henry Slade and Ollie Lawrence both miss out on Saturday, along with Marcus Smith and teenage Saracens sensation Noah Caluori.
Australia, meanwhile, are somewhat hamstrung by their trip to Twickenham falling outside of World Rugby’s official three-week international window - an issue England have managed to bypass following an agreement reached with both the RFU and the Premiership.
The Wallabies are missing a number of key players who ply their club trade in Europe as a result, including Will Skelton, Len Ikitau, James O’Connor and Tom Hooper.
Tane Edmed gets the nod at fly-half for his fourth cap, supported by Hamish Stewart rather than Carter Gordon. There is no Tom Lynagh or Ben Donaldson along with O’Connor, with Noah Lolesio still injured.
Taniela Tupou earns a recall at tighthead prop. The likes of Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii and Max Jorgensen are back after being rested against Japan, while Harry Wilson captains the team from the back row.
Nick Frost and Jeremy Williams are partnered at lock with no Skelton, while star man Suaalii plays alongside Hunter Paisami in the centres in the absence of Ikitau. Andrew Kellaway has recovered from a calf injury.
England vs Australia lineups
England XV: Steward; Roebuck, Freeman, Dingwall, Feyi-Waboso; Ford, Mitchell; Baxter, George, Heyes; Itoje (c), Chessum; Pepper, Underhill, Earl
Replacements: Cowan-Dickie, Genge, Stuart, Coles, Curry, Pollock, Spencer, F Smith
Australia XV: Kellaway; Jorgensen, Suaalii, Paisami, Potter; Edmed, J Gordon; Bell, Pollard, Tupou; Frost, Williams; Valetini, McReight, Wilson (c)
Replacements: Nasser, Robertson, Alaalatoa, Salakaia-Loto, Champion de Crespigny, Lonergan, Stewart, Daugunu
England vs Australia head to head (h2h) history and results
England will not want reminding of their last clash with Australia, who ran out surprise 42-37 winners at Twickenham last autumn after Jorgensen’s last-gasp try in a proper thriller.
England had won 10 of the 11 meetings before then, losing only a summer Test in 2022 in a series they won and of course a 2015 clash when they were dumped out in the pool stage of their own World Cup.
England wins: 28
Australia wins: 27
Draws: 1
Australia vs England prediction
England head into this series in a great place following an impressive 2025 so far that has seen them bounce back from their worst run of results since 2018 last year that included three defeats from four matches in the autumn, where their only victory came against Japan.
Borthwick’s men have now won seven matches in succession after following up a strong end to the Six Nations - in which they put 68 points on Wales - with a hat-trick of summer triumphs in Argentina and the USA.
They will now be eager to inflict revenge on an improving Australia team that sprung a shock in south-west London 12 months ago and made things tougher than expected against the Lions, with Borthwick continuing to reshuffle his backroom staff to find the right combinations - the permanent addition of Lee Blackett as attack coach representing a sizable coup in the build-up to the World Cup.
Boosted by their returning Lions contingent and with the Wallabies missing some important names, we’re opting for a home win this weekend in what should be an entertaining, physical showdown.
England to win, by 10 points.
England vs Australia match odds
England to win: 3/10
Australia to win: 13/5
Draw: 22/1
Odds via Betfair (subject to change).
