England Player Ratings vs Australia
England blew the cobwebs and some of their lingering criticisms away with a 30-6 victory over Australia today, their fifth over the Wallabies during the Eddie Jones tenure, in a game where the scoreline certainly flattered the home side.
Jones’ side were undoubtedly the better team at Twickenham, but it was anyone’s game until a late flourish saw England run in three tries in dreadful weather conditions.
We run the rule over the England players’ performances below.
- Anthony Watson – 6
It was a mixed bag in difficult conditions for Watson. He made a couple of good takes in the driving rain to start to the game, but also lost one later in the first half, as well as an offload to no one that almost let Australia in for a try.
- Jonny May – 7
A couple of nearly moments for May, but it wasn’t until the final five minutes that he really shone, grabbing a try and setting one up for Danny Care. Shot out of the line and couldn’t stop Samu Kerevi, which nearly gifted Australia a try, chased well all game long and ran into trouble a couple of times. It was quite a mixed bag of a performance until the gloss – deserved for his work rate – at the end.
- Jonathan Joseph – 7
Starved of the ball in a tight contest, Joseph had very little impact on the game in attack until his late try secured victory for England. Also made several important tackles on the powerhouse duo of Kerevi and Tevita Kuridrani and worked hard to pressure the Australian back line.
- Owen Farrell – 7
Farrell wasn’t given the most sympathetic of service from his fly-half but brought a direction that England lacked against Argentina, nonetheless. He nailed his first four kicks when the game was still in the balance and was strong in defence and intelligent with his game management.
- Elliot Daly – 6
Had a quiet game until his try in the 55th minute, when his chase exploited Kurtley Beale giving up on a ball the Australian thought was going dead. It was a moment that showcased his work rate, speed and comfort with the boot. It was also a moment of redemption after losing out on a high ball to Beale in the first half.
- George Ford – 5
Not the best game Ford will have in an England jersey. His pullback passes were fairly telegraphed and led to Farrell being lined up for big tackles by the Wallabies. Had the vision to see opportunities for cross-field kicks, but couldn’t quite execute them to his usual high standards.
- Ben Youngs – 7
Brought tempo and awareness in a good outing. He was constantly looking to exploit areas of the pitch Australia had left unguarded and it was his kick through which Daly chased and capitalised upon for England’s first try.
- Mako Vunipola – 5
A performance to forget for Vunipola, who was pinged four times and seemingly singled out for England’s early engages at the scrum. Didn’t offer his usual value in the loose, either.
- Dylan Hartley – 8
A very strong outing in difficult conditions for a hooker. Great synergy at the lineout with his jumpers, as well as making several thumping hits in defence, two of which caused knock-ons from the Australian ball-carriers.
- Dan Cole – 6
Seemed to get the better of his opposite number on several occasions, but England were struggling at the scrum as a unit. There was little reward for Cole’s efforts, but it was a solid shift.
- Joe Launchbury – 7
Launchbury won’t have hurt his chances of staying in the squad at the expense of George Kruis at all. Good support running and strong carrying and tackling around the fringes, with Courtney Lawes and Maro Itoje stepping up at the lineout.
- Courtney Lawes – 8
With Itoje on early and Lawes freed up to move to the blindside, the Northampton man thrived. In addition to landing several trademark big tackles, he carried better than he did against Argentina, showed soft hands and good passing and was a reliable target at the lineout. Forced two pivotal turnovers in the second half, one stealing a lineout and the other preventing Australia getting a ball out of their maul.
- Chris Robshaw – 6
Industrious performance from an industrious player. Couple of good breaks with ball-in-hand, as well as great cover defence to snaffle a loose ball from an Australian attack. Almost conceded a try with a risky offload in the same situation, though, as well as needless penalty for a late hit on Beale in the second half.
- Sam Underhill – 6
Unfortunately, the young flanker had to leave the pitch early for a HIA and did not return. A couple of forceful tackles, but he didn’t have time to make a significant impact on the game one way or another.
- Nathan Hughes – 6
Hughes couldn’t quite back up his impressive showing against Argentina and struggled with his ball security in the deluge at Twickenham. Tackled manfully on the gain-line, though.
Replacements
- Jamie George – 6
The front row replacements came on and did their job well, maintaining the fringe defence, clearing out and popping up with the odd carry. The lineout continued to operate well and the England scrum won its first and only penalty of the day.
- Joe Marler – 6
See above.
- Harry Williams – 6
See above.
- Maro Itoje – 7
Introduced early for the injured Underhill and made immediate impact. Stole an Australian lineout in England’s 22, brought impressive line speed and big, clean tackles on the gain-line.
- Sam Simmonds – 6
Similar to the front row, it was a case of coming on and seeing out the win for Simmonds, which he did.
- Danny Care – 7
Set up the try that took the game beyond Australia with the deftest of kicks and fulfilled the role any team could want of their replacement scrum-half, especially when he grabbed a try of his own to end the game.
- Henry Slade – 6
Didn’t really have long enough on the pitch to make any kind of impact one way or the other.
- Semesa Rokoduguni – N/a
Unused replacement.
Comments on RugbyPass
guys its fine! he understands why he did what he did and has taken accountability for it; why should he have to be accountable to a court? after all he did was abuse people in person - its not as if he was engaging in _online_ abuse!
1 Go to commentsChiefs flanker Kaylum Boshier yellow-carded for collapsing the scrum as it rolled towards the line. It was a maul….
1 Go to commentsyou know, i’m a leinster fan so I want Northampton to lose and it is gonna be tuff with Cortney lawes, Alex michell and the other guys🏉 lets go leinster🏉
1 Go to commentsWelcome to the Pro ranks. Those hard teams of old do hit the sole better though. its a dog fight at the top.
6 Go to commentsCan someone fill me in please, I've read a number of Ben Smith articles now and it seems he's got something again South Africa? Surely, this game was over and done with 7 months ago. Can't we have something a bit more interesting and relevant, or is this the calibre of journalist on this site?
227 Go to commentsNot sure what the Welsh are moaning about. They’ve had far more players off England, than England have had off Wales. Guys like Josh Hathaway and Kane James will play for Wales in the end. And they’ll be fsr better players for having played in the Gallagher Premiership, than they ever would have been had they stayed mired in the shambles that is Welsh rugby.
3 Go to commentsThis is all being blown totally out of proportion. First of all, since half the Irish team isn’t Irish - it’s very likely that none of the Irish players said that at all and, thus, we’re not being arrogant. Second, since half the Irish team is Kiwi - it’s very likely the Kiwi players were predicting a NZ SA World Cup final. Which they got spot on. Good on them!
163 Go to commentsAha. An Irishman with logic! Follow the flow: - Ireland peaks with a >80% win record between 2020 and 2023. And then… - crashes out of another QF at the WC; - Beat a poor French Team; - Beat 6N wooden spoonists Italy; - Play shite against eventual wooden spoonists Wales; - Lose against the most boring, “the worst English team ever” , a team widely regarded as unable to attack; - scrape through against Scotland. This article, No - Trimble, is on the money! Except for one glaring statement: _The Springboks have a few aces in the hole in this debate being the reigning world champions and official world number ones_ There is no debate, boys and girls. There it is. In black and white. “Reigning World Champions and OFFICIAL world number ones”. Come July, the overrated Andy Farrell and this overhyped team are going to enter into a world of hurt.
86 Go to commentsI’d like to know what homoerotic events Daniel enjoyed at 8th man. I clearly missed out!
19 Go to commentsThis article is missing some detail, like some actual context or info about what led to him abusing the ref.
2 Go to comments*They used to say that football is a gentleman sport watched by hooligans and rugby is a hooligan sport watched by gentlemen. How times have changed.*
3 Go to commentsexcept ot wasnt late wasnt late at all so dont know why you all saying its late he commits early and its your fault fir not paying attention
29 Go to commentsNot sure the Bulls need another average utility back in their ranks. Chamberlain has been ok for the Sharks but is by no means an X-Factor player. Bulls bought several utility backs which they barely use. A typical example would be Henry Immelman who plays mostly Fullback. The Bulls however have rarely played him this year and he has played wing or centre. Bulls want to build depth but seems like they have too many surplus players
1 Go to commentsABs lost against a side playing without a hooker - The guy playing, had one shoulder. Line outs were a gimme for the ABs, and the last 8 minutes 14 played 14 against a team that had been smashed 3 weeks in a row… Yet with all that possession, with all that territory, with all the advantages they actually had, especially in the last 8 minutes, they couldn’t buy a point. Those last 8 minutes determined if they outplayed the Boks or not. History will show that the Boks completely outplayed the ABs, especially in those last 8 minutes, the business end of any rugby match
227 Go to commentsWould’ve, could’ve, should’ve, didn’t.
227 Go to commentsKok will become a fan favourite
1 Go to commentsI am really looking forward to Leigh Halfpenny playing his first Super rugby game for the Crusaders Playing a long side his former Welsh and Scarlets team mate Johnny McNicoll.Johnny has been playing great, back in a Crusaders jersey.The attack has strengthened big time. Also looking forward to David Havili at 10. David is a class act, it also allows Dallas McLeod to remain at 12. A good thing.
1 Go to commentsIf he had stopped insisting on playing in the backrow, instead of wing, where everyone told him he should, he would have been a Bok years ago….
11 Go to comments‘Salads don’t win scrums’ 😂 I love that.
19 Go to commentsCan’t wait for the article that talks about misogyny in Ireland. Somehow.
19 Go to comments