Advertisement

England 37-21 Australia: how the players at Twickenham rated

Scrum-half Ben Youngs’ accuracy is influential for England, while Australia’s Kane Douglas struggles to rediscover his World Cup form

England v Australia, Twickenham 3 Dec 2016 Ben Youngs of England scores a try
Scrum-half Ben Youngs touches down for a try against Australia at Twickenham, to help England equal their record of 14 consecutive Test victories. Photograph: Robbie Stephenson/JMP/Rex/Shutterstock

ENGLAND

Mike Brown, full-back 7/10 Struggled with his composure early on, but soon rediscovered it. Endless counterattacks to precisely where it hurts and plenty of work on end of line as England stretched Aussies.

Marland Yarde, wing 6/10 Looked the most at sea of all when England were being carved up at the start. But looked better and better the more ball came his way. Finished try well, even if it was close .

Jonathan Joseph, centre 8/10 It’s not just his pace; it’s not just his tackling. He just knows where everything is going to be before anyone else does. That’s what marks him out above the others. Two tries and a perfect chip for Yarde’s.

Owen Farrell, centre 6/10 Looked all over the shop in England’s early period of wobbles, but grew into the game. Got a toe to the ball for Joseph’s first try and went from there. Oh, and didn’t miss a kick, obviously.

Jonny May, wing 6/10 Couldn’t quite get into things in the first half, but upped his workrate in the second and played his part as England stretched Australia from side to side.

George Ford, fly-half 7/10 England’s top-tackling back, but it’s for his impish string-pulling with ball in hand that we admire him. His heads-up break and kick in first half snapped England out of their torpor and was the maestro from there.

Ben Youngs, scrum-half 9/10 Our man of the match against South Africa, but undisputed this time. What an autumn. Even with a couple of spills, such was his influence and accuracy that he gets highest mark of series.

Mako Vunipola, prop 7/10 Great match, as usual. Part of a front row that put in an inordinate number of tackles and that eventually edged the much-awaited scrum battle. And, of course, the hands and carries still there.

Dylan Hartley, hooker, captain 7/10 Progressively better as series has worn on, which suggests he might not have been match fit at start. Tackle rate much higher and always where the action was. Did foul up one hook though.

Dan Cole, Prop 8/10 Australia tried to rile him off the field; he responded on it with by far his best performance of the autumn. Thirteen tackles and won the scrum. Still hasn’t touched the ball, though.

Courtney Lawes, lock 8/10 What a match from another whose club form has not hinted at this sort of level of performance. High on carries and tackles, main target at lineout and stole one to boot.

George Kruis, lock 7/10 His club form has been immaculate for a while, but has recovered from surgery as if nothing happened. Top of charts with 16 tackles and his carries upheld England momentum.

Chris Robshaw, flanker 6/10 Influential as ever and some timely interventions. Reads the game so well. But not involved as much as he has been this autumn. Remarkably, only mid-table on the tackle and carry count.

Tom Wood, flanker 7/10 The third guy Northampton will be hoping can carry this sort of form back to Franklin’s Gardens. Given a second chance with England and better than ever. One high tackle the only blemish.

Nathan Hughes, No8 7/10 Maybe not as powerful as the man he replaced, but quicker, and that came into effect pertinently, not least in buildup to England’s second. Solid at restart and a playmaker too.

REPLACEMENTS Jamie George 6 (for Hartley 59) Solid as ever, and one nice gallop Joe Marler 5 (Vunipola 59) Great carry and hit, but beaten by Kepu for try Danny Care 6 (Youngs 63) Drop goal didn’t come off, but some good defence Ben Te’o 6 (Farrell 67) Great run Kyle Sinckler 6 (Cole 67) Big barrelling run Teimana Harrison 5 (Robshaw 69) Charlie Ewels 5 (Kruis 73)

AUSTRALIA

Israel Folau, full-back 6/10 Even when he drifts in and out, as he did a bit here, he just looks a different class. Not even Joseph could handle him when he took his outside shoulder. One day his next try will come.

Dane Haylett-Petty, wing 7/10 Was best player of the first half, cutting England up at will, putting players away, brilliant cover defence. A couple of big hits on Hughes in second half, but then it went downhill, ending in a harsh yellow.

Tevita Kuridrani, centre 7/10 Could so easily have had two tries and how differently things might have turned out if he’d managed to ground one. Australia’s top-tackling back and a proper handful.

Reece Hodge, centre 6/10 Another to enjoy a fine first half, his passes behind the line releasing the outside backs. Crucial tackles foiled England attacks. But, like his team, fell away when it mattered.

Sefa Naivalu, wing 5/10 Same again. Looked electric in first half, leading Yarde on a merry dance and claiming his first international try. But then he disappeared and spilled one of the few passes to come his way.

Bernard Foley, fly-half 6/10 Looked absolutely deadly during Australia’s purple patch, darting behind the heavy traffic and pulling England’s defence out of shape. But what can you do against the onslaught of that second half?

Nick Phipps, scrum-half 3/10 Even during Australia’s dominant period, he looked edgy. It was his hesitation and loose pass that allowed England back into game. No shame to be in Will Genia’s shadow, but that’s very much where he is.

Scott Sio, prop 4/10 Some big carries when Australia were in the ascendancy at the start, but his game went south after that. Lucky to win one scrum penalty, then banged to rights at another. Cole had him.

Stephen Moore, hooker, captain 6/10 Plenty of industry, he finishes his season in better form than he started it. Handling looked sharp, too. Did foul up one lineout throw, but by then everything was going wrong for Australia.

Sekope Kepu, prop 6/10 What a turn of pace for his try. He was another held up over the line during Australia’s siege at the start of the match. Handled scrum better than Sio, but he spilled ball for Joseph’s first.

Kane Douglas, lock 3/10 More or less anonymous. Rory Arnold and Adam Coleman are the future at lock for Australia. Douglas is struggling to rediscover his form of the World Cup. Penalised twice.

Rob Simmons, lock 7/10 Great game in adversity. Now 70 caps into his career, but so much more than the lineout specialist he was in the early years. Constantly charging at the heart of England’s defence.

David Pocock, flanker 6/10 Mixed bag in his last match before sabbatical. Good was very good, ie defence and breakdown work. But discipline and hands poor. Horrible pass for Joseph’s second was final indignity.

Michael Hooper, flanker 8/10 Usual ball of energy in attack and defence. Often accused of excess showiness for a flanker, but supplemented that stardust with some proper graft at the heart of the action. One Aussie who didn’t fade.

Lopeti Timani, No8 6/10 He’s a big, hard chunk of muscle and enjoyed a good ding-dong with the man opposite him. But where Hughes played with his head up, the ball too often died with Timani.

REPLACEMENTS Tom Robertson 5 (Sio 58) Couple of little touches Dean Mumm 6 (Douglas 61) Couple of charges and good lineout work Sean McMahon 5 (Timani 68) Missed a tackle, but made a couple Nick Frisby 5 (Phipps 69) Did fine Quade Cooper 5 (Hodge 69) Made one little dart Henry Speight 6 (Naivalu 69) Defended well Tolu Latu 5 (for Moore 73) Appeared too late to make real impact James Slipper 5 (Kepu 58) Like Latu, came on game almost up