by Tom Pritchard
ENGLAND beat Australia in a Rugby World Cup quarter-final for the third time after a clinical display in Oita saw them advance to the last four.
Jonny May touched down for two scores on his 50th international appearance, with Kyle Sinckler and Anthony Watson crossing the line in the second-half as Australia imploded.
Marika Koroibete’s try two minutes into the second half gave the Wallabies hope, but England’s greater accuracy and discipline – in a game where they had to make more than twice as many tackles – gave them a deserved victory.
Eddie Jones’ side will face either New Zealand or Ireland next Saturday, October 26, for a place in the final.
Australia started brightly, with 19-year-old Jordan Petaia – the youngest player to start at outside-centre in a World Cup game – making a couple of line breaks and powerful centre Samu Kerevi giving England defenders plenty to think about.
Henry Slade – who was selected to start despite playing just 40 minutes of rugby since June – had the ball stripped with his first touch of the game, and a pass inside sent flying full-back Kurtley Beale through a gap in midfield.
England tracked back well to bring Beale down, but off the next phase they were penalised for a high tackle, which allowed Christian Lealiifano to kick the first points of the game.
England wing May had one of the most memorable two-minute periods of his international career, scoring his 23rd and 24th tries for the Red Rose, both of which were brilliant in their own ways.
The first, a simple touch-down in the left corner, came after Manu Tuilagi had burst through to put England on the front foot, allowing them to go through the hands and give the 29-year-old the easiest of scores.
Slade atoned for his earlier mistake with a moment of real quality to set up England’s second try. After the Exeter Chief had intercepted David Pocock’s pass, he sprinted upfield and had the wherewithal to put a grubber kick through for the charging May, who collected on the bounce and dived over in the same corner to cap a wonderful couple of minutes for England.
Both sides traded penalty goals as Australia continued to play in the wrong areas of the field, with England flankers Tom Curry and Sam Underhill epitomising their side’s enthusiasm, work-rate and sharp thinking in the first half an hour.
The scrum proved to be a troublesome area in the opening period, and after a couple of resets just before half-time, French referee Jérôme Garcès awarded a penalty to Australia, with Lealiifano on target from the tee to make it an eight-point game at the break.
Michael Cheika’s men needed to start the second-half quickly, and they did just that when a floated pass from Reece Hodge found Petaia, who passed back inside to Koroibete, and the winger showed great awareness to stand Elliot Daly up and run in for the score.
The early set-back may have been a shock to England, but they responded perfectly when Sinckler, the tight-head prop, ran a line which any back would be proud of and had a clear path to the line to restore his side’s lead.
Farrell added three points after Australia’s scrum – a potent weapon throughout the tournament – was demolished by England’s pack.
The Wallabies brought on Matt Toomua and immediately saw an increase in tempo, as they searched for a score to get them back into the game. After a spell of pressure five metres from the line, England turned the ball over. You felt as if Cheika’s men needed to leave with points of some description.
They were made to pay after Jones’ side worked their way downfield, and eventually won a penalty after Australia collapsed a maul. Farrell continued his perfect record from the tee to stretch the lead to 14.
The Saracens fly-half nailed his fourth penalty before a careless pass from Beale inside his own 22 was picked off by Bath winger Anthony Watson, who crossed to rub salt in Aussie wounds.
Koroibete had a late try chalked off after a forward pass earlier on in the move, and England could celebrate a famous win against their old rivals.
England: Daly, Watson, Slade, Tuilagi, May, Farrell, Youngs; Vunipola, George, Sinckler, Itoje, Lawes, Curry, Underhill, Vunipola.
Replacements: Cowan-Dickie, Marler, Cole, Kruis, Ludlam, Heinz, Ford, Joseph.
Australia: Beale, Hodge, Petaia, Kerevi, Koroibeti, Lealiifano, Genia; Sio, Latu, Alaalatoa, Rodda, Arnold, Pocock, Hooper, Naisarani.
Replacements: Uelese, Slipper, Tupou, Coleman, Salakaia-Loto, White, To’omua, O’Connor.
Referee: Jérôme Garcès (France)