England ruthlessly dispatch Australia to qualify for the semi-finals

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England ruthlessly dispatch Australia to qualify for the semi-finals Posted On 21 October 2019

First Rugby World Cup semi-final for 12 years, for Eddie Jones’s team

England were impressive, as they blew away a spirited Australia side on Saturday. Eddie Jones’s team worked tirelessly and were organised in defence, providing their best performance at this years’ Rugby World Cup, when they needed it the most.

The game started frantically, with tackles from England flying in, and zero completed scrums in the first six-minutes. It took eight minutes before England could get hold of the ball, but it didn’t last long, and Australia put the first points on the board from a penalty.

Then, in the 18th minute, England sprang to life with some great play leading to a try from Jonny May and an excellent confidence-building kick from Farrell. Two minutes later, Jonny May scored England’s second try after May picked up a beautiful kick from Slade and sprinted through.

Three further penalties, two for Australia and one for England, meant the teams went in at half-time 17-9 to England. England’s two tries were well taken, but neither team looked great without the ball, and the score may have been harsh on the Wallabies.

With no changes at half-time, the teams emerged the same and within three-minutes, after Daly drops a straightforward catch, Australia were back in the game with a Marika Koroibete try. Australia scored the conversion. 17-16 to England.

England responded immediately with a try by Kyle Sinckler which Farrell converted, followed by another penalty conversion from 25 metres out. Australia kept on applying pressure, working through phases, but England defended well especially through Kyle Sinckler.

In the 65th minute, Farrell showed how sharp his kicking was with another penalty conversion, which gave England a solid 30-16 lead, going into the last fifteen minutes’. England effectively killed the game in the 73rd minute with another penalty conversion; 33-16.

Australia looked demoralised, and in the 75th minute, Anthony Watson scored a final try which again Farrell converted. 40-16 and the game was over. England did everything asked from them on the day, and Eddie Jones will be a happy man in the build-up to the semi-final against tournament favourites New-Zealand.

England V New Zealand is live next Saturday at 9.00am and is live on ITV.