AUSTRALIA 30-28 ENGLAND
The Wallabies have defeated England for the first time since the 2015 World Cup after coming from behind, with a man down, to beat Eddie Jones’ men.
England were 6-3 ahead when Australian lock Darcy Swain was red-carded for a reckless headbutt on England lock Jonny Hill, after some unsavoury hair-pulling scenes.
Noah Lolesio levelled the scores, early in the second half, but Hill returned from the sin-bin and England scored a try through Ellis Genge. Owen Farrell missed that conversion but added a penalty, soon after, and England led 14-9.
That was the scoreline, with 16 minutes to play. Jordan Petaia got over for a try in the right-hand corner, though, and sparked 13 minutes of madness that did for the English.
Vunipola yellow card as tide turns
Noah Lolesio, starting at 10 in place of the injured Quade Cooper, landed that conversion and the Wallabies were suddenly two clear. Billy Vunipola was then yellow-carded for a high tackle on Australian skipper Michael Hooper, and it was a 14 vs. 14 contest with the game up for grabs.
The hosts sensed that momentum was with them and they used the resulting penalty to push into the English 22, to try and get another try. It was duly delivered by Folau Fainga’a, followed by a Pete Samu score that, when converted by Lolesio, looked to end the contest.
What followed, though, was some green shoots that England could cling to as they look ahead to the Second Test. First up, London Irish winger Henry Arundell left three gold jerseys for dead with his first touch in Test rugby:
𝐄𝐍𝐆𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐑𝐘! 🏴 | "What a start to your international career!" 🤩
With his first touch Henry Arundell proves too powerful in contact to power down the wing and go over! 💪 #AUSvENGpic.twitter.com/zxKCFX320G
— Sky Sports (@SkySports) July 2, 2022
“The red card can go against you” – Eddie Jones
Replacement scrumhalf Jack van Poortvliet got over for a late consolation try, and his first in Test rugby, as England put some pride in that final scoreline. Following the game, England head coach Eddie Jones told Sky Sports:
“We had enough moments in the game to win it but, at 14-9 with 20 minutes to go, we should have put the game away, but we didn’t.”
“In some ways the red card can go against you,” he added, “because sometimes the referee can start giving calls against you. We didn’t react well to that.”
Asked what improvements can be made, ahead of the Second Test, Jones said, “We just got to tidy up our ability to finish off in attack and, in defence, get after them.”
The day belonged to Australia and we have a cracker of a Test Series on our hands.
