On Saturday at Twickenham England got off to a winning start in the QBE Autumn Series.
England’s spirit, grit and collective will not to lose brought them home 20-13. The star man if there could be one had to be Mike Brown. He fielded every high kick and put in at least a couple of try saving last ditch tackles.
England trailed by 6-13 at the break as Matt Toomua scored from a counter attack. However the second half was Englands and the fightback started as so often with a referring error. Mike Brown kept a kick in play though all the replays showed his feet on the line. From this England swept up field. A couple of penalties later saw them on the line with Australia throwing in. The ball got passed back the their scrum-half whose kick was charged down. Quickest to react was Chris Robshaw try England. A little later and again fron a set piece in the Australian twentytwo Owen Farrell scythed through the lines to score bringing the final score up. Ten minutes to go and Australia put the pressure on, but fortunately they made errors at crucial times and England held on for the win.
England 20 -13 Australia
Scorers
ENGLAND
Tries: Robshaw, Farrell
Cons: Farrell 2
Pens: Farrell 2
AUSTRALIA
Try: Toomua
Con: Cooper
Pens: Cooper 2
The great thing from this performance is England can and will improve. Though it is hard to see how the forwards can do much more . They controlled most if not all the breakdown with a lot of the Australian pressure coming from a lack of controlling the back foot law.
Will be interesting to be a fly on Lancasters selection this week. But here are the teams from Saturday:
Teams
England: Brown; Ashton, Tomkins, Twelvetrees, Yarde; Farrell, Dickson; M Vunipola, T Youngs, Cole, Launchbury, Lawes, Wood, Robshaw, B Vunipola.
Replacements: Hartley for T Youngs (54), Marler for M Vunipola (54), B Youngs for Dickson (54), Wilson for Cole (66), Morgan for B Vunipola (66), Flood for Twelvetrees (66), Attwood for Launchbury (75).
Not Used: Foden.
Australia: Folau; Ashley-Cooper, Kuridrani, Toomua, Cummins; Cooper, Genia; Slipper, Moore, Alexander, Timani, Horwill, Fardy, Hooper, Mowen.
Replacements: McCalman for Fardy (49), Kepu for Alexander (49), Foley for Ashley-Cooper (49), Robinson for Slipper (61), Douglas for Timani (62), White for Genia (66), Faingaa for Moore (68),
Not Used: Lealiifano.
Att: 81,500
Ref: George Clancy (Ireland).