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Welcome to ESPN's live coverage of England's final autumn international of the year. The hosts meet old-foes Australia at Twickenham and the stakes, as ever it seems, could not be higher.
It's been a far from successful November for England. Defeats by the All Blacks and Springboks, albeit by narrow margins on the scoreboard, left them desperate for a win against Samoa. They managed that last weekend, but now this Saturday it's about mixing it with rugby's elite once again.
The Wallabies have endured the same mixed-bag of a month. The joy of victory over Wales was dented by losses to France and Ireland, and head coach Michael Cheika will want to see a response today.
The teams are in from their warm-ups and we're awaiting the anthems. Just five minutes to kick-off and the atmosphere at Twickenham is, of course, electric.
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| 1 |
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Twickenham gives a minute's applause to pay tribute to Australian cricketer Phillip Hughes, after the batsman tragically died on Thursday. Emotions clearly running high as the anthems are belted out and it's Australia's Bernard Foley to get us underway.
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| 3 |
0 - 3 |
First blood to the Wallabies as Foley slots a penalty from right between the posts.
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| 5 |
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Uh oh, looks like Australia have poked the bear here. England go barrelling forward after Foley's penalty, chucking it out wide left to Jonny May, before working it back towards Anthony Watson on the right. Brad Barrritt's pass to the young Bath man is just out of his reach, however - he could have been in there.
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| 6 |
3 - 3 |
England make the pressure count and George Ford hits his first penalty of the day.
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| 8 |
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England have a lineout on the Wallabies' 22... and Dylan Hartley makes a rare mistake, throwing it just beyond the reach of Tom Wood at the back of the line. He flicks it forwards and it's scrum down to the Aussies.
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| 10 |
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First scrum of the game. It's an Australia put-in. They hold firm. Plenty of predictions they would crumble but, on the face of that effort, they look ready to put up a fight.
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| 12 |
6 - 3 |
Mike Brown is unceremoniously upended by Ben McCalman while trying to chase his own up-and-under and England have another penalty in a similar spot to the first. Ford knocks it over. He's looking confident on his second start for the Red Rose.
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| 14 |
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Strewth that's some high quality rugby! Australia go for their first serious running play of the match, working the ball through Michael Hooper's hands into those of Adam Ashley-Cooper. He throws a dummy to the man outside him and looks almost certain to make the line, but out of nowhere the huge arms of Courtney Lawes wrap themselves around the Wallabies' centre to prevent a sure-fire try.
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| 17 |
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The Wallabies are looking dangerous in the loose. Hooper bursts through with a scything run on the angle but is just hauled down. Speight knocks on trying to take a Ford high ball and it's scrum down, midway inside the Aussie half.
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| 19 |
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The scrum needs to be reset but England nearly make the second chance count. Through the legs from Ben Morgan off the base to Youngs, he flings it out to Brown who tries a cheeky offload to May on the left wing, but the pass is just too high and the Gloucester man can't quite make it stick.
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| 21 |
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Time off for a drinks break... Youngs has a bloody nose that needs cleaning up.
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| 22 |
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Back to the action. The Wallabies hold firm in the scrum and seal some quick ball off the base. Here come the runners... Foley flips it to Nick Phipps, who fires it out to Henry Speight on the right wing. He goes thundering forwards and only an assured Mike Brown tackle prevents him from crashing over the try line.
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| 25 |
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England are defending for their lives here. The Aussies fire a high ball out to Rob Horne on the left, he rises above Brown to get there first, but just knocks on. We go back for a Wallabies penalty, though, on the right-hand side of the England 22.
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| 26 |
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The hosts' defence holds firm and captain Chris Robshaw wins a penalty. England eventually boot clear and Aussie fullback Israel Folau makes a rare mistake, fumbling with the ball to knock on and hand England an attacking scrum.
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| 28 |
11 - 3 |
Try for England! The hosts beast the Wallbies in the scrum, marching forward a good five or ten metres. Ben Youngs then fires it out to the backs, with Brad Barritt nearly breaking the line. With the recycled ball, Ben Morgan smashes his way through a gang of green and gold tacklers to find the try line. Referee Jerome Garces checks with the TMO, but the score stands.
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| 29 |
13 - 3 |
Ford - conversion
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| 31 |
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England's kicking game really causing problems for the Wallabies at the moment. George Ford in particular is finding the right spaces with the boot, even if he has missed touch once or twice.
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| 34 |
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Credit to the Wallabies - they make another good fist of it in the running game, but can't hold on as Dylan Hartley wreaks havoc at the breakdown. Ben Youngs turns the defence with a grubby box kick and Brown and Watson go haring after it. They're inside the Aussie 10m line on the right, but both go to pick up the ball under Aussie pressure and referee Garces spots a knock on. Scrum to the Wallabies.
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| 38 |
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Dull series of reset scrums ends in England eventually clearing via the left boot of Mike Brown. Less of that please chaps.
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| 40 |
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George Ford goes for a monster attempt at the posts and narrowly pulls it wide to the left. Half-time and England lead, but it's far from over.
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| 40 |
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We're back underway at Twickenham. Australia replace the injured Rob Simmons with Luke Jones.
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| 42 |
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Hmm, slight worry for England there as George Ford shanks a fairly easy penalty attempt well wide of the posts. TV coverage quickly flashes to Owen Farrell on the bench - he of the metronomic boot.
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| 44 |
13 - 8 |
Try time! And it's the Wallabies who touch down after a delightful move between Bernard Foley and Rob Horne. Foley gives a cute little inside pass to Horne, who steps passed Tom Wood and gives it back to Foley. The fly-half then runs into fresh air and, moments later, the England try line. Richly deserved after a move like that.
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| 45 |
13 - 10 |
Foley - conversion
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| 46 |
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Poor Foley! No sooner has he converted his own try than he's subbed off for Quade Cooper. Mr Cheika, you harsh man!
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| 47 |
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Now that's entertainment. The ball spends a good minute or so ping-ponging around in the loose, with both sides opting against booting it out. Jonny May eventually hauls Henry Speight into touch.
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| 49 |
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England revert to the forwards and start hammering on the Wallabies defensive line. George Ford eventually tries to fire it out wide but is very nearly intercepted by Rob Horne. He can't quite hold it though and England win a scrum from the knock on.
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| 51 |
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Blimey! That's one of the biggest collisions we've seen all month. Brad Barritt goes crashing into Matt Matt Toomua, who holds firm, but both take a little breather after that one. Eye-watering stuff.
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| 53 |
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There's a lengthy break as Sekope Kepu receives some attention. He's unable to continue and is replaced by Ben Alexander. The Wallabies obviously used the time to catch their collective breath as they break the line on the restart, with Adam A-C bursting through to go deep into England territory.
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| 55 |
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Five metre scrum to England as Quade Cooper is forced to carry the ball back into his own in-goal area after a clever Mike Brown kick. He did little wrong but England's pressure was just too great.
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| 56 |
18 - 10 |
Well that was always going to happen. England beast the scrum and barge their way over from 5m out - Ben Morgan flops down for his second try of the match.
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| 57 |
20 - 10 |
Ford - conversion
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| 59 |
20 - 15 |
Michael Cheika shows his tactical nouse here. Will Skelton has been on the field for all of one minute, but he trundles into the line after AAC and Michael Hooper make ground for the Wallabies. Skelton collects the ball 5m from the England try line and three tacklers can't stop the big man. This game is electric.
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| 60 |
20 - 17 |
Cooper - conversion
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| 61 |
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The claret is pouring out of the heads of Brad Barritt and Rob Horne after a nasty clash of heads. Patch them up, by all means, but head injuries have got to be taken seriously. No harm in taking going off if needs be.
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| 63 |
23 - 17 |
Ford smacks another penalty from the right of the posts to ease England's nerves... slightly. Interesting as Owen Farrell has just come on for Barritt - he hasn't taken on kicking reponsibilities though.
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| 65 |
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Australia put some good pressure on England as Nic White turns the defence with a grubber. Mike Brown gathers and attempts to kick clear, but he's under pressure from Kurtley Beale and shanks it into touch.
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| 67 |
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Demolition derby rugby now. England have been so dominant in the scrum but somehow contrive to get turned over now. Australia start throwing it around and Owen Farrell make mischief by booting it clear. Chris Robshaw is the man after it but Australia manager to touch down on their own try line.
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| 69 |
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Quade Cooper gathers an excellent England kick and evades Jonny May's tackle. But he can't escape Owen Farrell, who wrestles him into touch.
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| 70 |
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Australia seal their own ball from a scrum (surprising - they've been beasted by England so far) and Adam Ashley-Cooper, once again, breaks the line. He's worried England every time he's had the ball. He wins the penalty and the Wallabies kick to touch.
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| 72 |
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Great stuff from Cooper and Beale there as the Aussies work the ball out to the left and Israel Folau. He passes outside to Rob Horne, but it's just out of the wing's reach and the Wallabies miss a real chance of a try.
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| 76 |
26 - 17 |
Moments after a very decent dropped-goal effort - which ultimately flies wide - Ford steps up to hit the penalty that will surely seal the win for England.
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| 78 |
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My word! Brad Barritt, back after a blood bin break, throws his forehead at Quade Cooper and the claret flows from his cut eye once again. That's some stream of blood. He deserves a break.
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| 80 |
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The ball's into touch and that's the final whistle. England have battled their way to victory over a spirited Wallabies side. Crucial win for Stuart Lancaster's men and they end the year on a high - that looked doubtful after defeats by the All Blacks and Springboks. Roll on the Six Nations.
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