Eddie Jones leads England to impressive whitewash of the Wallabies

OWEN FARRELL KICKED England to a pulsating 44-40 win over Australia to sweep their series 3-0 in Sydney on Saturday.

Head coach Eddie Jones has now won all nine of his games since taking over from Stuart Lancaster, with this series success adding to the Grand Slam title England secured earlier this year.

Source: Rick Rycroft

England were outscored five tries to four by the Wallabies in this the Test, but got home on the boot of inside centre Farrell, who kicked six penalty goals and three conversions from 10 attempts in a man-of-the-match performance.

It was the first 3-0 series win by a touring side in Australia since the South African Springboks in 1971.

It was also England’s ninth consecutive win under their former Wallabies coach Eddie Jones and follows earlier series wins in Brisbane and Melbourne.

The Australians were more inventive in attack with Matt Toomua and Bernard Foley providing the main spark, but the Six Nations champions were too composed and cohesive for the Wallabies.

Jones had urged his players to maintain their intensity despite clinching the series in Melbourne last week in their “once in a lifetime opportunity” to vanquish Australia 3-0.

England began well and had most of the play before prop Mako Vunipola made a bumping run close to the Australian line.

From the next phase Ben Youngs put prop Dan Cole crashing over near the post for Farrell to convert after 11 minutes.

The Wallabies’ response was immediate with Dane Haylett-Petty’s pass knocked down by Maro Itoje and the ball was picked up by Israel Folau who dashed up the left touchline.

Source: Rick Rycroft

Folau drew the last line of defence to send Bernard Foley over under the bar and level the scores with his conversion.

The Wallabies were over again seven minutes later after several phases and quick hands by Foley and Folau sent winger Haylett-Petty sprinting over in the corner for a 12-7 lead.

Farrell kept England in touch with a penalty but centre Jonathan Joseph was penalised for not releasing the ball and Foley regained the five-point advantage.

England scored their second try off a brilliant kick regather by fullback Mike Brown who carried over Tevita Kuridrani’s tackle to score a converted try to lead 17-15.

Coach Jones took off new open-side flanker Teimana Harrison shortly afterwards and brought on Jack Clifford in a tactical switch.

The Wallabies hit the front on half-time through a Foley penalty to end a frenetic opening half.

The Wallabies were guilty of slack marking in a scrum close to their line when powerful No.8 Billy Vunipola picked the ball up at the scrum and powered through winger Haylett-Petty’s tackle to score.

The Wallabies hit back after great surging run by replacement lock Adam Coleman and Michael Hooper reached out to ground the ball on the try-line for Foley to convert and lock up the game at 25-all.

But Australia scored their fourth try when Matt Toomua broke the line and sent Folau racing away to score. Foley’s conversion put the Wallabies up by four points heading into the final quarter of the Test.

Farrell kicked another penalty before a Nick Phipps error put the Wallabies in trouble in their own quarter and replacement hooker Jamie George scored after the ball came off his shin.

Farrell’s conversion gave England a six-point lead heading into the final 10 minutes.

The sharpshooter kicked his fifth penalty to give England a nine-point advantage, but Foley kept the Wallabies in it with a 72nd-minute penalty.

But Farrell again kept England in control with his sixth penalty before replacement winger Taqele Naiyaravoro scored a consolation try after the full-time siren.