Show only key events Please enable JavaScript to use this feature 45 mins: England slow things down on the halfway line and JvP hits high. Australia try to swing it back to the left but the angles are too steep and England cover. An exchange of kicks ends with the flying aviator again claiming a contested mark to set up England on the halfway line, but a dropped ball near the right blocks everything and JvP again have to kick. 43 mins: Australia good pass again after quick line ball. They then go through the phases with Tupou busy, Wright smart coming off his left and White all over the place, getting to breakdowns and looking for angled runners. Phase 10 and Kerevi scores 22, the momentum is irresistible, and… penalty England. Brilliant again from Vunipola and Wilson is forced off the ball. 42 mins: Another penalty for the Wallabies, this time against Genge for a high tackle on Wright after Australia had threatened behind a halfway line. 41 mins: There’s a penalty almost immediately after the restart for Australia against Ludlam. The breeze, which has picked up, now favors Australia and superboot Hodge. Here come the two sides back for another 40 minutes. Just one point away with the Ella-Mobbs cup up for grabs. Care justifiably took off, brave of Jones to do so soon. JVP doesn’t stay at the ruck base like many other scrum halves do. He is very quick to collapse and who will take his death. I hope it makes a difference. — Sir Basenjis don’t bark CBE, Ph.D (@ChunkyPiping) July 16, 2022 I agree that’s brave, but you also have to ask yourself why Care was started. There is not much to write about England. The scrum dominated again, but apart from a few flashes from Freeman and Steward, the rest was pretty poor. Jack van Poortvilet’s impact was immediate. Let’s just say that the first half we won’t be talking in reverent tones about the coming decades… — robert kitson (@robkitson) July 16, 2022 Updated at 12.06 BST Team Australia member James O’Connor sums things up pretty neatly at half-time. “We created a lot of chances, but we haven’t delivered. A few misplaced passes on the wings. They came back on the pitch towards the end of the half and got points on the board, which is disappointing.” White, Koroibete and Hooper were outstanding for the Wallabies. The play behind the set was excellent, especially off the line. Although, Hooper’s ability to chase down Care probably led to the change that allowed JVP to set up England’s try… a score that came from a missed Farrell penalty that bounced off the post. Moments in sports are often difficult to legislate. England missing Curry, Itoje and Underhill in shock @jphowcroft collapse — AndyinBrum 🌻 (@AndyinBrum) July 16, 2022 Absolutely. Vunipola looks to be fighting a lone hand and Hooper has the piece between his teeth for the Wallabies.
Half time: Australia 10-11 England
Farrell connects the touchline conversion down the left. England somehow led at the break, but the half was played on Australia’s terms.
TRY IT! Australia 10-11 England (Steward, 40)
England secures the line, but the mail gains little ground. There is a penalty advantage as forwards pass inside the box towards the touchline. The ball is then released from the hands and Freeman looks certain to score in the left corner, but is a little short. Lowes then closes. But eventually, JVP ignores his pack and sees his fullback step into the lane and bursts to score. Huge moment for England. Freddie Steward comes in to score. Photo: Steve Christo/Corbis/Getty Images Updated at 12.13 BST 39 mins: White mops up and runs clear but is tackled isolated, can’t clear and it’s a penalty in almost the same spot. This time England strike in the right corner… 39 mins: 30 meters out, to the right of the posts, Farrell hits the left post! 38 mins: England concede their third scrum penalty of the night, which the referee explains is “even”. This is in the area for Owen Farrell. 37mins: Another neat move from the line for the Wallabies, this time from right to left with Koroibete taking touch, but when the phase returns infield, there’s loose carry and England can counter. That move breaks down when Nowell loses control – it looked like a tackle without the ball to me – but the sloppy pass is allowed to continue until another foul is whistled, this time by Slipper. Interesting… JVP is for England in place of Care. 35 mins: England’s forwards make no progress and Keir again kicks the line after the restart. Instead, Australia run and make yards with the ball in hand down the right. Wright then elects to run, for no reason, and England accept the invitation to start at half-way.
PENALTY! Australia 10-6 England (Farrell, 34)
Farrell punishes Australia’s lack of concentration with a penalty from 25 meters out just to the left of the posts. 32 mins: Bad mistake from the Wallabies with Hodge kicking over, bringing the game back to Australia’s 22. England secure the forward line but almost immediately George loses possession in touch. England are out of order. Fortunately Vunipola does brilliantly to nail the ensuing tackle and secure the collapse for a kickable penalty.
PENALTY! Australia 10-3 England (Lolesio, 31)
Lolesio extends Australia’s lead and makes it worth the rest of the first half. They are stronger in the front and more dynamic in the back. 29 mins: Australia’s scrum feed at almost halfway needs a reset, eating up the clock. The Wallabies attack again on the right behind the second set and Hodge almost breaks. There is no “almost” when Koroibete is roaring like a Pamplona bull and Australia are hungry for points. England fight back, Vunipola tackles and tries to counter-rock but is harshly penalized for his second attempt and Lolesio has another chance to strike for goal. 27 mins: Australia deserve to have their noses in front after a good start. England don’t have the intensity of Brisbane. And it appears again with Care again at fault for a cheap turnover after being chased down by Hooper on a broken field.
CONVERSION! Australia 7-3 England (Lolesio, 26)
Noah Lolesio makes up for his earlier miss with a superb conversion from the right wing in the air.
TRY IT! Australia 5-3 England (Wright, 24)
Trifle! Super rigged test from Australia, from all 80 meters! Out of defense on the left, the ball goes through hands to the right, helped by a long ball from Koroibete, and the speed of the move catches England out. White then orchestrates a one-two with Wright to draw the England defender and leave him for dead. Great rugby run. Tom Wright shows the way home. Photo: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images Updated at 12.14 BST 23 mins: Smith bombs in behind a halfway line and Steward does brilliantly to chase it down and take it down with a powerful dive. But there’s a damage penalty right after and everything goes to zero. Rugby? disappointing. 23 mins: Nice attack from England – down the left again – neat hands from George on the line allowing Freeman to show his acceleration and tap into the 22 but Koroibete is across to cover. 21 mins: England set up a lever down the left that pulls in more big bodies than Weight Watchers. Eventually they are told to use it, so they break the line and invite Australia to run back against them. That’s exactly what they do until White’s ball is smothered and Paisami is awarded a penalty for mopping up the ground. 19 mins: Hodge turns down an invitation to play a kick, takes contact on the halfway line near the right touchline. Australia go through the hands at the other end before White orchestrates some neat runs. Paisami kicks aimlessly and Smith sweeps it, setting up another lengthy duel involving Hodge this time. He also shows his class, playing to touch deep in England’s half.
PENALTY! Australia 0-3 England (Farrell, 18)
From about 40 meters out, just to the right of the posts, Farrell moves the scoreboard. It’s hardly worth it, but England are ahead. 16 mins: Vunipola flicks a restart to Wilson and gains an advantage. Freed up, England throw the ball down the left wing and attack for the first time tonight. Smith is excited about a move to gain some space and profit from Steward. But the attack fizzles out and we’re back to the penalty shootout. England are trying to clear a hair. Photo: Mark Baker/AP Updated at 11.33 BST 15 mins: Kerevi bulldozes through midfield from the back of the scrum. Phases of some cute shortside offloads follow, but George is in the right place at the right time to make an interception just as the momentum was building. Care immediately kicks the corner and the weight forces it off the line. 13 mins: England have had no place on the pitch so far and lose the cheap ball again after a lineout near the halfway mark – Make it his fault for not paying attention to Hooper’s marksman at the breakdown. This was a poor start from the visitors but the Wallabies are yet to punish them. 11 mins: ANOTHER CONCEPTION FOR ENGLAND! This time from the penalty the Wallabies attack off the line, Tupou scrambles free but with the gold jerseys pounding towards the line his charge is ineffective, the ball goes to ground and England breathe a sigh of relief. From the resulting scrum feed they get another penalty – their second of the night already. 10 mins: Great line maneuver from the Wallabies on halfway, and they get into the midfield combinations ready to break down the left. But then the game is called back on the line. Hmmm, was that necessary? The Wallabies looked set to strike, but instead the umpire has a long chat with Hill for interfering with White on the ground. 8 minutes:…
