MY ACCOUNT
England held firm to overcome Australia 25-17 on Saturday as they snapped a three-game losing run and levelled up their three-match series Down Under.
The visitors let slip a commanding lead and a one-man advantage to lose 30-28 in last week’s opening Test, but they responded in Brisbane with a resilient and aggressive display.
Australia made six changes to last week’s winning side, many of them enforced, and England took full advantage by taking a 19-7 lead into half-time at Suncorp Stadium.
Billy Vunipola crossed over inside five minutes following a spell of sustained early pressure and Owen Farrell added to the successful conversion with four penalties.
An undisciplined Australia, who also lost Izaia Perese for 10 minutes for a deliberate knock-on, gave themselves hope just before the interval when Taniela Tupou powered over.
Another Farrell penalty early in the second half gave England breathing space, only for Samu Kerevi to walk in from an overlap for the hosts’ second try of the contest,
Australia finally had some momentum, and Noah Lolesio’s penalty after Marcus Smith was sin-binned for a deliberate knock-on made things even more interesting.
But three more points from the boot of Farrell put the game out of Australia’s reach as England saw out just a second win in their past six matches away from home.
