Australia 7-23 England: Tourists claim historic series win
By Keith Moore
Last Updated: 18/06/16 8:44pm
England claimed an historic series victory over Australia with a 23-7 win in Melbourne to go 2-0 ahead with one game to play.
The visitors were forced to tackle for lengthy periods at AAMI Park on Saturday as the Wallabies threw everything at them, but their defence held out as Owen Farrell took them to victory with 13 second-half points.
England led 10-7 at the break, with Farrell adding all the points in the second period, nailing a penalty before latching onto a grubber ahead from his Saracens team-mate Jamie George for a try five minutes from time. The 24-year-old then added another penalty with seconds remaining.
The victory gives England their first-ever series win on Australian soil, as Eddie Jones continues his unbeaten run as national coach.
The two sides travel to Sydney for the final Test on 25 June, live on Sky Sports.
The Wallabies started the game in the same fashion as they did in Brisbane, with attacking intent, but unlike last week they were unable to register any points during their period in charge.
England wrestled their way into the game and began to win penalties which saw the visitors set up a lineout near the corner. The ball was thrown in by Hartley, who packed into the back of the ensuing driving maul and crashed over after his team-mates had driven their counterparts over the tryline.
Farrell had a chance to increase the advantage to ten points when Sean McMahon got his hands on the ball at a ruck without holding up his own weight, and the England fly-half nailed the regulation penalty kick.
Australia were able to hit back with a try of their own before the break, with a carbon copy of England's try as hooker Stephen Moore dotted down in the corner. Bernard Foley sent the conversion over from out wide with three minutes left in the half.
England were forced to defend their own line for the remainder of the first period as the Wallabies sent wave after wave of attack at the visitors. England held out bravely before a knock-on brought an end to the danger and Craig Joubert called time on the first period with England 10-7 ahead.
The Wallabies were threatening for large portions of the third quarter, but were unable to breach the England line as handling errors prove their undoing time and again.
In fact, it was Farrell who landed a penalty during that period, to give England a 13-7 lead going into the final quarter.
In the end, the handling errors were too much for the home side to overcome, as each journey into enemy territory ended with a pass going to ground. One such handling error brought about Farrell's try that sealed the win.
England turned the ball over and Courtney Lawes broke the line. The ball ended up in the hands of replacement hooker George who put in a kick ahead, with Farrell diving onto the ball over the tryline for an unassailable lead.
The England No 12 then landed a final penalty in the last minute to hand England a comfortable win and an historic series victory.
