England Win in Style Downunder

I have to admit I did not expect this win but WOW!.......... well done England, Eddie Jones and Management.

England Rugby Summer Tests - Cook Cup - Australia 2016

First Test - 11th June - Brisbane

Australia 28 v 39 England

England once again have beaten Australia in their own backyard for the fourth time in history and the irony of it all is, with the Australian coach that lost to England at the 2003 Rugby World Cup!

Having just come back from holiday, I could not watch live but recorded the match and somehow managed not to hear or see the score .......... I sat down at 7pm last night and was riveted to the TV, the first 15-20 minutes the pressure from Australia was immense and I remember saying to my better half "if we can just hold this defence and pressure we stand a good chance of being in with a win or close.   As it turned out England did weather the storm and produced one of the best performances I have seen from England in a long while.   By the end of the match, I was stunned and could not believe that no media or any persons that day had got excited about this match and the England win.

But of course we all know what other sport was being played this day, almost a win for them but the fan situation overshadowed a great deal of good sport yesterday..........sadly.

However, England rugby can be so proud of the their performance yesterday.  What a match , Australia went ahead with two tries but no conversions early on from Michael Hooper and Israel Folau..

But as with the class of 2003 any penalties given by Australia were punished by the No:10 this time it was not Jonny but the brilliant Owen Farrell, then tries from Jonathan Joseph, Marland Yarde and Jack Nowell sealed the win.  It was very close right until the last few moments but a super match to watch and even better if you are an England Rugby Supporter.

James Haskell was MOM, he was everywhere, put in a fantastic performance and at one point he went tearing down the middle of the field and I thought he was going to score a try, he was immense yesterday.  

Maro Itoje once again showed wisdom beyond his years.  So many players stood up yesterday and delivered.

Saturday's victory puts them 1-0 ahead in the three Test series, which continues in Melbourne and then Sydney on the next two Saturdays.

Australia: Folau; Haylett-Petty, Kuridrani, Kerevi, Horne; Foley, Phipps; Sio, Moore, Holmes, Arnold, Simmons, Fardy, Hooper, Pocock.

Replacements: LealiIfano for Horne (29), Frisby for Phipps (78), Slipper for Sio (66), Polota-Nau for Moore (57), Kepu for Holmes (58), Mumm for Arnold (48), Horwill for Simmons (25), McMahon for Fardy (68).

Sin Bin: Sio (54).

England: Brown; Watson, Joseph, Burrell, Yarde; Farrell, Youngs; M Vunipola, Hartley, Cole, Itoje, Kruis, Robshaw, Haskell, B Vunipola.

Replacements: Nowell for Watson (70), Ford for Burrell (29), Care for Youngs (72), Mullan for M Vunipola (66), Cowan-Dickie for Hartley (72), Hill for Cole (65), Lawes for Kruis (60), Launchbury for B Vunipola (73).

Att: 52,500

Ref: Romain Poite (France).