Good evening and welcome to the live commentary of the
Rugby World Cup Pool A clash between England and Australia.
Games don't get much bigger for England and coach
Stuart Lancaster. The Red Rose know that a defeat to Australia this evening will end their hopes of advancing beyond the group stage in the tournament, ending their challenge to win the World Cup. England suffered an agonising defeat at the hands of Wales last week, and Lancaster faces the task of rallying his side to reach defeat the Wallabies tonight.
Australia have had a strong start to the tournament with victories over Fiji and Uruguay in their opening two matches. The Wallabies were made to grind to defeat the Pacific Islanders and missed out on the bonus point, but they found their rhythm in the second match with a 65-3 hammering of the South American team. However,
Michael Cheika knows that his side will face a huge challenge against the Red Rose tonight.
England will be looking to emulate their performance of last year when they defeated the Wallabies 26-17 at Twickenham thanks to two tries from Ben Morgan. The Red Rose controlled proceedings from the off and were able to secure their second win in a row over Australia.
Lancaster is confident that his side can bounce back from their defeat to Wales last week to keep their World Cup hopes alive tonight. The Red Rose spurned a 10-point lead to lose to the Dragons at Twickenham as they were overwhelmed by the Welsh attack in the closing stages, but the England coach is adamant that he can rally his side to defeat the Wallabies like he did three years ago following their defeat to South Africa to inspire them to victory over New Zealand.
"I have been in this position before, and so has the team, in getting over a defeat and turning the next performance into a positive one and a victory," Lancaster told reporters. "I know we can do it again. I'm 100% certain we can."
England scrum-half Ben Youngs has insisted that he and his teammates have to raise the level of their intensity tonight to drive Australia into submission.
"We've got to come out with a real intensity and edge to our game. Australia have a reason to quit. "They can go to Wales and get a result, they can afford to lose a game, we can't and we've got to make sure we give them a reason to quit.
"Physicality, don't match what they bring - we've got to go above that. The resilience in the team is the fact we cannot quit."
Let's take a look at the confirmed lineups this evening, starting with the Red Rose.
ENGLAND: Marler, T. Youngs, Cole; Launchbury, Parling; T. Wood, Robshaw; Morgan; Youngs, Farrell, May, Barritt, Joseph, Watson, Brown
Replacements: Webber, M. Vunipola, Brookes, Kruis, Easter, Wigglesworth, Ford, Burgess
AUSTRALIA: Sio, Moore, Kepu, Douglas, Simmons, Fardy, Hooper, Pocock, Genia, Foley, Horne, Giteau, Kuridrani, Ashley-Cooper, Folau
Replacements: Polota-Nau, Slipper, Holmes, Mumm, McCalman, Phipps, Toomua, Beale.
Lancaster made three changes to his side that lost to Wales last week, but two are enforced due to injury. Jonathan Joseph is fit again to take his place at inside centre to replace Sam Burgess. However, Courtney Lawes and Billy Vunipola are out with injures and Joe Launchbury and Ben Morgan are drafted into the team to replace the duo.
Australia rang the changes for their clash against Uruguay and Cheika has brought the majority of the team that started against Fiji back into the fold, making 14 switches in total. Only Scott Sio keeps his place from the win over the Uruguay, as captain Stephen Moore headlines the returning players.
Barney Corkhill is at Twickenham for Sports Mole this evening and he reports:"It doesn't get much bigger than this. Exiting a home World Cup at the group stages is almost unthinkable for England, but they are potentially just 80 minutes away from that becoming a reality. It is simply do-or-die for Stuart Lancaster's side tonight, and the hosts will be hopeful of putting in a performance befitting of this game's billing as England's biggest since the 2007 World Cup final."
Cheika has insisted that his side are ready to face whatever England will throw at them this evening. He believes that the lineup he has selected are capable of defeating the Red Rose to eliminate the host naton from the competition.
"I believe that this selection, the same starting team that ran out [against] Fiji, has been really clear on where we must improve and the level we must be at to compete with England and we know that it's going to be a very tough challenge," Cheika told Australian Rugby's official website. "The group is really committed to making all Australian's truly proud of how we represent them at this Rugby World Cup and Saturday night will be another opportunity for us to do that."
Barney Corkhill is in position ahead of kickoff. Quite the view at Twickenham. The two sides have played out some incredible matches over the course of history. This game is not quite as big as the 2003 Rugby World Cup final when Jonny Wilkinson's last-minute drop goal delivered the Web Ellis trophy to England, but for the players on show tonight wearing the Red Rose it will hold just as much significance.
Barney Corkhill feels that Australia will be entering a partisan atmosphere when they take to the pitch at Twickenham, lots of support for the host nation tonight."The atmosphere is steadily building here at Twickenham, with every England name being cheered to the rafters. The hosts may well need a 16th man tonight, and these fans certainly seem up for it. There is a smattering of yellow amongst the crowd, but this will be a daunting atmosphere for Australia tonight.
Former England captain Will Carling has backed the Red Rose to deliverthe victory this evening.
He told BBC Sport: "We find out today about the England team and how they will operate under this white hot pressure. I have a sneaky feeling that we will all be impressed and the English will still be smiling tonight."
Former England flanker Lewis Moody is hopeful that Lancaster's men can reproduce a similar performance to the quarter-final clash between the two nations at the 2007 World Cup when England ran out 12-9 winners.
The players are out on the field and we're almost ready for the off at Twickenham.
England's cricket team recorded an Ashes triump over Australia in the summer, and they have backed their rugby counterparts to emulate their feat tonight.
Barney Corkhill reports from Twickenham, minutes ahead of kickoff:"If I'm brutally honest, my head says Australia tonight. England have a good record against the Wallabies here at Twickenham in recent years, but Michael Cheika has turned the visitors into a formidable outfit since he took over. However, I can't predict an Aussie win - my heart won't let me do it - so I'm going for England by five!"
KICKOFF! We're underway at Twickenham as Owen Farrell kicks off.
Australia collect the kickoff and then opt to run the ball out from under their own posts, and despite pressure from England the Wallabies manage to clear their lines.
England win an early free kick after Australia fail to bind at the scrum. Youngs takes the ball quickly on the tap-and-go, and feeds his forwads. The scrum-half tries to kick over the Australian defensive line from the breakdown, but his effort sails over the tryline and the Wallabies will have a scrum midway in their half.
Brown commits a huge error from England as he tries to gather Foley's kick from deep and stands on the whitewash with the ball, handing a lineout to the Wallabies right on the edge of the Red Rose's tryline.
Brown makes up for his error with an important tackle on Folau as Australia broke forward from the lineout and worked the ball across the line through their backs, but the full-back was there to deny the Wallabies.
Australia earn a penalty as England jump offside in frot of their posts. Foley tried to capitalise by sending an up an under towards Folau in a jump ball against Watson on the wing, but the Aussie full-back could only knock the ball forward. Still a chance at the posts for the Wallabies though, with Foley to kick.
PENALTY! England 0-3 Australia (Foley)
No problem for Foley from the penalty, although he took enough time over the ball, before sending his effort through the posts.
England drive towards the Australian line as Farrell offloads the ball to Watson, who powers his way towards the 22. Foley makes a crucial tackle on the winger to stop him advancing further and he stops the momentum of the attack. England send the ball to the right with Joseph, but the Wallabies hold them enough at the breakdown to force a scrum, where the Red Rose will have the put in.
Kepu loses his footing at the scrum and Farrell will have the chance with a penalty under the posts to level the scores.
PENALTY! England 3-3 Australia (Farrell)
Like Foley, Farrell has no problem sending his kick through the posts.
Barney Corkhill reports from Twickenham:"It wasn't the best start from England, but they have certainly responded well. They have made a number of good breaks already and are very much on top right now."
England push forward out of their 22 from the restart as Tom Youngs moves the Red Rose out by bursting through a couple of challenges. Launchbury then claims the ball from a kick forward from Ben Youngs to give England an attacking platform in the Australia half. Watson, Brown and Barritt push the Red Rose to the 22, but a poor pass from Ben Youngs to Joseph ends the attack as the Wallabies are able to clear their lines.
Another mistake from Brown hands Australia an attacking platform inside the England 22 as he fumbles the ball when trying to gather a grubber kick.
TRY! England 3-10 Australia (Foley)
Australia take the lead once again as they put huge pressure on the England defensive line from the resulting scrum of Brown's handling error. The Wallabies work the ball across to the left where Folau and Kuridrani try to find the breakthrough, but they cannot find the space. However, Genia shifts possession quickly to the right and Foley makes a cut inside and raids to the line for the score. The fly-half maintains his composure to kick his effort between the posts.
England put the pressure back on Australia as May finds space to make a weaving run inside the 22, but he is stopped in his tracks before he can get near the line. The Wallabies put the Red Rose under pressure at the breakdown and secure the turnover.
Cheika's men win the battle at the scrum, which allows Foley to send the ball deep from a penalty into the England 22. The lineout sails over the heads of everyone, but Pocock manages to gather at the back. However, strong counterrucking from England turns the ball over and they win a scrum.
England win a penalty from the resulting and a good kick from Farrell sends the ball into Australian territory. The Red Rose worked the ball well across their forwards and Launchbury drives towards the 22, but once again they fail to capitalise on good field position as Pocock wins the turnover for the Wallabies.
Launchbury charge down the kick and Farrell tries to send a grubber kick towards the tryline, but he falls over and Australia are able to clear their lines.
Barney Corkhil reports from Twickenham:"England have got into a number of good positions in this match, but they have been nowhere near clinical enough when approaching the Aussie 22."
TRY! England 3-17 Australia (Foley)
Australia power ahead of the Red Rose and they have all sorts of work to do now to get back into the game as Foley and Folau cut them apart at the breakdown. Folau raids forward and sends his pass back to the fly-half, who crashes over the line for the score. Big trouble for the host nation as Foley sends his kick through the posts to hand his side a 14-point advantage.
England win a couple of penalties late in the half as Hooper lets them off the hook by drilling Brown at the breakdown deep inside the Red Rose's 22. Lancaster's men need a score before the break.
HALF-TIME: England 3-17 Australia
There is no score before the break for England as they knock the ball on at the edge of the Australia 22 and the referee calls time on the first half. Lancaster and his men are in huge trouble at the break, they have been extremely poor across the pitch, especially in front of their own line where they have handed the Wallabies too many attacking platforms. Going forward the Red Rose have shown promise, but have displayed nowhere near enough quality in the final third to break down the Australian tryline.
Barney Corkhill reports from Twickenham:"It has actually been quite an even game at Twickenham, despite the scoreline being so heavily in Australia's favour. The Wallabies have simply been better when it comes to the business end of the field, and Stuart Lancaster's side will need to change that if they are to avoid the ignominy of going out in the group stages. The hosts have made more breaks and more metres than Australia, but they haven't been able to make the most of those."
Bernard Foley has been the difference between the two sides at the break as his incisive play from the fly-half positin has cut England open twice at the breakdown, resulting in two tries for the Wallabies. His kicking has been on point and his play has been the driving force behind his side's dominant display. England will have to find a way to neutralise him to get back into the match.
SUBSTITUTION: George Ford replaces Jonny May for the Red Rose, curious selection which may involve Joseph switching to the wing.
RESTART! Youngs is forced to gather the ball at a canter to stop the threat of Beale. England clear their lines from the back.
Brown's poor evenign continues as he tries to go through the Australian line without support and Pocock is there to rip the ball from his grasp to force the turnover. It enables the Wallabies to clear their lines from the edge of their 22 again.
Australia put England under pressure from the scrum and win a penalty right in front of the posts. The Red Rose are wilting under the stress of the situation tonight and the Wallabies are making them pay.
PENALTY! England 3-20 Australia (Foley)
Another fine kick from Foley, to send his side 17 points into the lead. England's task becomes even harder now.
England put the pressure on the Australian line inside their 22, but the Wallabies show no sign of cracking and they force the Red Rose out to the right. Joseph attempt to offload the ball to Parling on his left shoulder, but Foley comes across to make a vital intervention to stop the attack in its tracks.
TRY! England 10-20 Australia (Watson)
England get back in the game as the pressure on the Australia defence finally tells as Ford works the ball across to the right and Watson bursts between two defenders to crash over the line for the score. Impressive work from the fly-half to create the opening and an even better run from the winger to crash down for the score.
England win the ball from the Aussie lineout as Parling steals the ball at midfield following a series of kicks from both sides. The Red Rose now have an attacking to build on.
Hooper makes a huge play for the Wallabies as he comes over the top of the ruck to win the ball at midfield to stop an England attack from building. Hooper and Pocock have been excellent for the Aussies at the breakdown.
Poor handling from Australia inside the England 22 forces them back towards midfield. Farrell gets his foot to the ball to send his side into the Aussies 22, and the chase is on as gold shirts flock back to try and recover. The Wallabies do reach the ball first, but they commit a penalty by holding the ball under pressure. A chance for Farrell to reduce the deficit to seven points.
PENALTY! England 13-20 Australia (Farrell)
Farrell sends his kick between the posts and England have life in this match.
Barney Corkhill reports from Twickenham:"This one is getting interesting now! England are starting to look a little more dangerous in attack, and there are one or two errors beginning to creep into the Australia game. A converted try is all that separates the sides now with 15 minutes left - we're in for a nail-biting finish!"
YELLOW CARD! Huge blow for England as Farrell goes into the sin bin for a high tackle on Giteau. The penalty is right in front of the posts as well, giving Foley the chance to end the comeback from the Red Rose.
PENALTY! England 13-23 Australia (Foley)
Foley sends his free kick through the post and the game is surely beyond England now.
Another penalty to Australia at the scrum, where they have dominated this evening. Foley has another chance to put another nail in the English coffin.
PENALTY! England 13-26 Australia (Foley)
Foley sends another kick between the posts and that should be that.
The England forwards wilt at the scrum in the Australia half and the Wallabies earn penalty to turn the screw.
TRY! England 13-33 Australia (Giteau)
Australia add insult to injury by winning the ball from an England attack. Foley spreads the ball across to Ashley-Cooper, who offloads to Giteau and he runs in for the simple score on the line. Foley continues his excellent game by adding the conversion, handing Australia their largest ever-win at Twickenham.
FULL-TIME! England 13-33 Australia
ENGLAND ARE KNOCKED OUT OF THE WORLD CUP!
England crash out of the World Cup at the group stage as a result of their defeat to the Wallabies. The Red Rose were outplayed across the field and were never in the contest as Cheika's men dominated at every stage of the game.
Bernard Foley was outstanding for the Wallabies as he scored 28 of their 33 points this evening. His two tries in the first half put England well and truly on the back foot, due to the quality of his play at the breakdown. Michael Hooper and David Pocock were also on top form for the Wallabies to deny England time and time again at the 22 by disrupting the ball at the breakdown.
To compound the humilation for Lancaster and his men. England have become the first host nation to crash out of the World Cup at the group stage. Meanwhile, Wales and Australia have secured their place in the knockout stages as a result of England's exit.
Thanks for joining our commmentary this evening. Until next time, goodbye.
