England vs Australia: Autumn Nations Series - LIVE!
England aims to recover from last week’s setback as they welcome Australia to the Allianz Stadium in Twickenham this afternoon. Steve Borthwick’s team came close to defeating New Zealand in a thrilling conclusion, but George Ford’s penalty bounced off the post, and he later missed a drop-goal attempt with the last kick of the game.
The starting lineup remains the same, but there’s a change in the center position, with Henry Slade shifting to the inside and Ollie Lawrence taking the number 13 jersey. England has a solid recent history against Australia, having won 10 out of the last 11 encounters between the teams.
Australia is currently struggling, having lost five of their most recent matches. They wrapped up the Rugby Championship at the bottom of the standings earlier this year, managing only a single victory, and were eliminated from the World Cup in the pool stage in 2023. Joe Schmidt, the former head coach of Ireland, has taken over the Wallabies, and he has a significant challenge ahead of him. Keep up with all the latest updates through Standard Sport's LIVE blog below, where you can find expert insights from Simon Collings on-site!
Recent Updates on England vs Australia
The players will soon be entering the tunnel.
Everyone is hoping that this will be a relaxing afternoon for England, paving the way for their match against South Africa next weekend.
It's important to get off to a fast start and make sure things stay on track from the beginning...
The head coach of England has emphasized that his team will not underestimate Australia this afternoon.
"Australia is a team that is growing, just like we are," Borthwick stated.
They have an amazing coach in Joe Schmidt, a strong forward group, and quick players in the backline, similar to what we have.
“I’m looking forward to an exciting match today.”
Simon Collings Speaks At Twickenham
Many people are focused on Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii today. I can say for sure that while watching him during the warm-up, he stands out as a truly massive individual.
It's an outrageous size for someone who's just 21, and he's quite agile as well.
The start time is just around the corner, with kickoff happening in less than half an hour!
Suaalii: Australia's Rising Star
Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii is set to make his debut in professional rugby union this afternoon. That's right!
The 21-year-old has made the transition from rugby league, and with the Lions scheduled to tour Australia next year, Joe Schmidt has chosen to give him a chance right away.
Schmidt mentioned, “For us, there are four Test matches remaining this year before we set off on a significant Lions tour next year.”
"If not now, then when? It probably won't turn out flawlessly, but it will serve as a starting point for him to improve upon."
Simon Collings Takes The Stage At Twickenham
It's time for England to rise to their full potential.
Large groups of people are gathered outside Twickenham as the England team arrives...
This is a matchup that England has found success with in recent years.
Australia's victory in Perth in 2022 is the sole occasion they have defeated England since 2015, marking just one win out of their last 11 encounters.
They have faced four consecutive losses at Twickenham since that time.
George: We're Ready To Face Australia!
Jamie George has emphasized that England will take an aggressive approach and aim to put pressure on Australia this afternoon.
"The message I'm conveying to the team, as well as Steve's message, is that we need to approach the game with confidence and fearlessness. We should challenge our opponents and never hold back," remarked the England captain.
The question is, are we able to maintain that level of performance for a full 80 minutes?
There's a thin boundary between being determined and being somewhat careless. We have a solid understanding of our approach. I believe that the more time we spend together, the more skilled we'll become. No matter who our opponents are, we aim to challenge them head-on.
"If you dwell too much on those expectations, it can lead to fear of failure, making you hesitant to seize opportunities with your teams. We're ready to take on Australia this Saturday, and that's what we've been emphasizing all week."
England really needs a victory this afternoon, as things are only going to become more challenging.
Next weekend, the reigning world champions from South Africa will be coming to Twickenham, providing a true measure of England's current standing in the sport.
To conclude the Autumn Nations Series, England will take on Japan, coached by a familiar figure named Eddie Jones. It promises to be an exciting match.
