England ride luck to thump Aussies
THERE was no need for ‘Eddie Cam’ this week. The Red Rose coach left his seat beaming from ear to ear as England secured their fifth victory over Australia in 17 months.
It was his opposite number, Michael Cheika, who self-combusted as the Wallabies had two players sin-binned, two tries disallowed and watched every key decision go against them.
It summed up Cheika’s afternoon when he copped a ‘gob-full of abuse’ from an English supporter as he walked down the steps to issue instructions to his team in the second half.
His messages, however, did not get through. England won comfortably on the scoreboard − although a late cameo from Danny Care added deceptive gloss to a victory which will keep England’s aura alive and well until 2018.
Eddie Jones’ side have found a way to win ugly. They have now won 21 out of 22 and the grit of Courtney Lawes, Joe Launchbury and Dylan Hartley − as well a helping hand from Lady Luck − helped win this arm wrestle ‘We played smart,’ said Jones. ‘I didn’t throw a pen, I didn’t swear – I thought I would even up that with the other box. I think my mother will be pleased, I don’t expect a phone call at 5 o’clock in the morning.’
It was Cheika’s face that flashed up on the big screens.
The Australian ‘steamed’ in a first-half which brought yellow cards for Michael Hooper and Kurtley Beale − but England did not capitalise.
Tries were at a premium for 72 minutes.
England kept Kurtley Beale quiet with a shower of high balls – 43 kicks in the opening 40 minutes – and took an early lead through the returning boot of Owen Farrell.
There was an intent to their early play, compared to the blunt display against Argentina, as No 8 Nathan Hughes knocked back the giant Wallaby midfield.
It forced Will Genia and Bernard Foley into handling errors, while Ben Youngs injected pace with tap penalties behind a steaming inferno of a scrum.
But the new-look back-three of Anthony Watson, Jonny May and Elliot Daly needs time to gel and their daredevil instincts sometimes ran them into trouble.
Sam Underhill departed through injury after 17 minutes – replaced by Maro Itoje – and May gifted Foley a chance to level the scores when he was caught running out of his own 22.
Foley shanked his kick and then Hooper’s try was harshly disallowed. The flanker was judged offside from Tevita Kuridrani’s initial kick − even though Marika Koroibete seemed to play him onside.
Cheika fumed; sarcastically clapping down the cameras and aiming barbs at the referee.
‘I’m not going to rank the referee’s decisions,’ he said. ‘It’s not the Academy awards. I’m not sure who the TMO was. I should probably find out his name. It’s totally normal to get angry.
‘I’m not sure about the process. How many replays for one incident and how many replays for another? You go down there steaming but you have to compose yourself and make decisions.’
After 33 minutes, England tried to bludgeon their way over. They were met with stiff resistance but, once again, Hooper strayed offside and O’Keefe sent him to the sinbin − making him the most yellow carded player in Test history.
Suddenly the game opened up and, in a mad scramble, Kurtley Beale knocked down May’s pass to Jonathan Joseph. The Outcome? Another yellow card, another spike in Cheika’s blood pressure.
The Wallabies, however, drew first blood in the second-half with a Reece Hodge penalty. They showed more attacking intent but did not get the bounce of the ball.
Kuridrani knocked on after a break by Kerevi and, within seconds, England had touched down at the other end of the pitch.
Youngs booted the ball downfield and it appeared to brush the faintest blade of touchline. Elliot Daly fly-hacked it forwards and – after intervention from the TMO – the try was awarded. A 14-point swing with the Wallabies 13-6 down.
Surely, at some stage, they would get the rub of the green?
Referee Ben O’Keefe will hope his flight back to New Zealand does not stop off in Sydney. He gave another decision to England after 70 minutes – disallowing Marika Koroibete’s try for obstruction by Stephen Moore. It was another harsh call, yet Jones snapped at suggestions his side were lucky.
‘Why do we have a referee?’ he said. ‘Why do we have TMOs? I don’t understand the question. How were we lucky? They do 10 replays of a video and make a decision. This was the best referee in the world for today. We had the best guys in the TMO and we’re saying we’re lucky because the decisions went our way. Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry. I’m sorry we’re lucky.’
The visitors eventually lost heart and Care emerged from the bench to rip into the Wallabies.
England scored three tries in the final eight minutes, with Care kicking behind the defence to set up Jonathan Joseph and May, before scoring one of his own with the clock − and Cheika’s face − in red.