England 25 – 7 Australia

Ben Earl, Henry Pollock, Alex Mitchell and Luke Cowan-Dickie score tries for England as they begin Autumn Nations Series with victory over Australia at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham; Pollock came off bench to score try which turned the game in England’s favour, creating a two-score lead

England’s Henry Pollock scored the crucial try against Australia at Allianz Stadium Twickenham off the bench in only his second cap

Henry Pollock emerged from the bench to score the crucial try as England began their Autumn Nations Series campaign with a scrappy 25-7 victory over Australia.

Ben Earl, Pollock, Alex Mitchell and Luke Cowan-Dickie scored tries for England – the first two both made via superb Tom Roebuck high-ball work – as a Test filled with errors eventually turned the way of the hosts.

Pollock’s proved the try essential to securing the result, with Mitchell and Cowan-Dickie’s efforts both arriving inside the final eight minutes.

A Harry Potter intercept try had got the Wallabies into the contest in the first half, but they failed to make the most of further chances in the 22.

Steve Borthwick had named a very strong bench, which packed the desired punch in the sense that it secured the result, if not a particularly dominant performance.

Having survived a potential breakdown penalty within their own 22 in the early stages, England showed a sign of intent to kick into the corner with their first penalty of the day after a strong counter-ruck.

Australia wing Andrew Kellaway was fortunate to get away with what looked a fairly clear bat of the ball dead as Immanuel Feyi-Waboso attempted to claim a George Ford kick, and prop Joe Heyes was then held up as the visitors survived heavy pressure.

The Wallabies’ first foray into the 22 was ended when Roebuck did well to intercept a Tane Edmed pass to width, and it unusually took until the 20th minute of the Test for the opening points to arrive: Ford striking through the posts with a penalty after Edmed spilled the ball on the ground and then failed to release.

Less than a minute later, England struck for a stunning opening try through Earl after Roebuck did sensationally to claim a high box-kick above Joseph Suaalii and pass on to Sam Underhill, who shipped a pass quickly to Earl for the latter to display his supreme pace for a forward.

Ben Earl produced a sensational effort to score England’s first try of the contest

Ford converted for a 10-0 lead, and though Australia fired back with some close-range pressure of their own – hooker Billy Pollard going close – England defended a subsequent five-metre rolling maul strongly to force a turnover.

With Australia visibly struggling to connect in attack with ball in hand, England almost had a second try through Earl when he put the head down and charged for the line, only for Potter to do superbly and hold him up in-goal.

Just as England looked the more likely to score again, however, Australia nabbed a try out of nothing as Potter intercepted a Fraser Dingwall pass within his own 22 and set off 80-odd metres to score a try at the other end.

Australia’s Harry Potter did superbly to score a long-range intercept try

Edmed converted for a 10-7 half-time score, but only after getting away with a dreadful goal-line dropout in the final play before the break – dragging the kick to Jamie George in the 22, but seeing the hosts cough up the ball.

England lost their opening two lineouts of the second period in the Australia half, before flanker Fraser McReight ended the home side’s next attack in the 22 with a textbook breakdown penalty.

Rob Valetini and Hunter Paisami then made breaks for Australia to get into the 22, but Potter poorly sealed off a ruck for the opportunity to pass.

With referee Nika Amashukeli hotly refereeing the breakdown, further 22 chances for either side came and went due to penalty concessions.

Borthwick unloaded Pollock, Tom Curry, Ellis Genge, Will Stuart and Cowan-Dickie from his strong replacements bench, and in the 59th minute such strength in depth paid off when Pollock finished brilliantly – showing skill to race onto a Roebuck tap-back at breakneck speed to sprint in.

Pollock scored by the hour mark to create a two-score lead for England

Ford poorly missed the conversion, but the lead still stood at two scores (eight points) as Australia barley threatened in the remainder of the game.

Instead, Mitchell and Cowan-Dickie’s efforts inflated the scoreline – the former darting for the try-line off a rolling maul and the latter touching down at the back of another set-piece drive.

Alex Mitchell scored one of two late tries for England to inflate the scoreboard

What’s next?

England next host Fiji at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham next Saturday November 8 at 5.40pm.

For Australia, they travel to face Italy next week in Udine also on Saturday November 8 at 5.40pm.