Written by Lachlan Grey on Nov 18, 2024 02:40 AM, courtesy of rugby.com.au Source article.
Darby Lancaster is one of several Test capped players turning out for Australia XV. Photo: Getty Images
Wallabies hopefuls will get their chance to impress as Australia XV take on England A at Twickenham Stoop.
The Australia XV kicked off their mini tour last week as a heavily rotated team took out a draw against Bristol Bears.
Watch the Australia XV – England A match live and exclusive on Stan Sport.
The likes of Wallabies Tom Lynagh, Tom Hooper and Hamish Stewart start as scrumhalf Ryan Lonergan skippers the side.
For the English, their ‘A’ side includes 2024 World Rugby U20 Championship winners Asher Opoku-Fordjour and Henry Pollock, with Opoku-Fordjour released from the England squad for the match.
Northampton Saints’ Fraser Dingwall captains the team at inside centre as one of four players with Test experience.
FOLLOW ALL THE ACTION FROM 1:00 AM IN THE LIVE BLOG BELOW OR THE MATCH CENTRE
FULL TIME: ENGLAND A 38 DEF AUSTRALIA XV 17
78′ ENGLAND A TRY! Just a little icing on top for the hosts there as Cadan Murley bags another from some sharp first-phase play off the rolling maul. Murley’s been busy around the ruck all day but this time he holds his width and is rewarded with his second try from a long ball into open pasture | England A 38-17
74′ Look away, Aussie fans. A pair of blunders look to have cost the visitors this one with Jock Campbell failing to find touch from a Luke Reimer turnover penalty before ill-discipline saw them marched further back upfield. England with all the momentum now and time on their side.
68′ ENGLAND A TRY! Will Muir like a thief in the night! It’s raining tries at the Stoop as Muir picks off a looping long ball from Jock Campbell to race away untouched and restore England’s ledger. Campbell will want that one again, not his best effort | England 31-17
66′ AUSTRALIA XV TRY! Now we’ve got a game on our hands! After 57 minutes of fairly tepid rugby, this game has burst to life with Rhys van Nek smashing over after a pair of English tries. A half-break from Corey Toole set sparks flying and Australia weren’t to be denied from their rolling maul platform with van Nek surging over two phases later | England A 24-17
62′ ENGLAND A TRY! Reserve backrower Greg Fisilau barrels over and the hosts are well in control of this contest now! Nothing special to that try – just good hard carries from the Pommy pack and Fisilau’s fresh legs delivered the hammer blow. England now lead by two converted tries and it’s Australia chasing their tails | England A 24-10
57′ ENGLAND A TRY! Now that’s what the fans came to see! Curtis Langdon ices a 70m counterattacking try from England sparked by the irrepressible Gabriel Ibitoye and England hit the lead. All came from poor kick chase on a Ryan Lonergan box kick that was shifted wide to Ibitoye for a one-two with Pollack right down into the Australian 22 and Langdon was Johnny on the Spot for a wide recycle. This time England’s conversion sails over and it’s the hosts in front with a seven-point buffer | England A 17-10
52′ Strong counter-rucking and some sharp kicking from Ryan Lonergan gets Australia out of trouble but a prime attacking platform goes to waste with Darby Lancaster’s line-break called back for a forward pass.
48′ Just starting to see the English gaining ascendancy and confidence here – a lovely wide move set Henry Pollock away down the right touchline and a few handling errors costing Australia their opportunities. England now with an attacking scrum inside Australia’s 22 and looking dangerous.
44′ ENGLAND A TRY! It’s the English wingers combining down the right touchline with Ibitoye putting Murley away in the corner! Lovely hands from Oscar Beard set Ibitoye free and simple hands did the rest – conversion unsuccessful once more so the scores are level | 10-all
42′ Not the start to the second half Australia wanted with Harry Hoopert pinged for obstructing the English kick chase. The hosts are back in Australia’s 22 and on the attack early!
40′ Luke Reimer, take a bow! The Test fetcher keeps Australia’s lead intact with his second breakdown penalty of the match and it’s the visitors ahead 10-5 at half time! Reimer and Hooper far and away Australia’s best while Jack Willis and wing duo Ibitoye and Murley have shone from England.
38′ England hammering on the Aussie line now – penalty up the sleeve and their scrum looks to be gaining ascendancy. Can the gold wall hold on until half time?
34′ Clutch defensive play from Ryan Lonergan and Jock Campbell saves what looked to be a likely Cadan Murley try in the top right corner – the Aussie duo combined well to hold the Englishmen up and force a maul turnover. England looking the more dangerous in attack but Australia’s defence yet to crack | Australia XV 10-5
30′ AUSTRALIA XV PENALTY GOAL! Nice settling three-pointer there from Tom Lynagh ends a frantic passage from both sides. Joey Walton has had some nice touches at outside centre for the Aussies while Cadan Murley looks a real threat on England’s right edge. Australia were camped down in England’s patch for a while though and badly needed a reward | Australia XV 10-5
27′ Two opportunities missed there for Australia – they worked their way 5m out from England’s line twice but have been let down by poor attacking clean-outs and the penalty goes against them.
22′ England still dominating territory and possession here at the Stoop – sharp defensive breakdown work from Tom Hooper saved the Aussies’ blushes on one occasion – but the gold wall is largely holding firm and a big scrum penalty from young Massimo De Lutiis has just given them a little breathing room | Australia XV 7-5
17′ Little win for the Aussies there as young English tyro Henry Pollock gives away a silly penalty with his side in command and swings a few handbags with Tom Hooper. Plenty of wraps on Pollock, keen to see how he shapes up against this experienced Australian backrow | Australia XV 7-5
13′ Not exactly champagne rugby here as the two sides play more than a little kick tennis. England emerge winners with an attacking lineout from 50m out and a subsequent penalty against Reimer at the breakdown gives the hosts a real sniff inside Australia’s 22 | Australia XV 7-5
9′ AUSTRALIA XV TRY! The visitors wasted no time responding to that Ibitoye try with Jock Campbell and Hamish Stewart finding half-breaks from a messy restart. A penalty saw them plug the corner and Luke Reimer is the beneficiary of a powerful rolling maul steered by Josh Canham. Tom Lynagh adds the extras and Australia take the lead | Australia XV 7-5
6′ ENGLAND A TRY! It’s the hosts with first blood here at Twickenham Stoop as Joe Heyes crashes over. All came from a terrific scrum base that unlocked the flying Gabriel Ibitoye out wide. Quick recycle from the English had Australia backpedaling and no-one was going to stop Heyes from close range. Conversion unsuccessful so it’s a five-point buffer early | England A 5-0
3′ That’s a great start for Australia with Test fetcher Luke Reimer earning an early breakdown penalty. Australia march upfield and attack from a lineout just outside England’s 22 but a promising break from Hamish Stewart is turned over. Busy from both sides early.
1′ We’re off and running here at Twickenham Stoop – England kicking off and Australia running right to left on your screens at home. 80 exciting minutes to come!
ENGLAND A v AUSTRALIA XV TEAMS
England A: 15 Joe Carpenter, 14 Cadan Murley, 13 Oscar Beard, 12 Fraser Dingwall (captain), 11 Gabriel Ibitoye, 10 Charlie Atkinson, 9 Will Porter, 8 Tom Willis, 7 Henry Pollock, 6 Tom Pearson, 5 Arthur Clark, 4 Hugh Tizard, 3 Joe Heyes, 2 Gabriel Oghre, 1 Asher Opoku-Fordjour.
Replacements: 16 Curtis Langdon, 17 Emmanuel Iyogun, 18 Afolabi Fasogbon, 19 Rusi Tuima, 20 Greg Fisilau, 21 Archie McParland, 22 Jamie Shillcock, 23 Will Muir.
Australia A: 15 Jock Campbell, 14 Corey Toole, 13 Joey Walton, 12 Hamish Stewart, 11 Darby Lancaster, 10 Tom Lynagh, 9 Ryan Lonergan (captain), 8 Joe Brial, 7 Luke Reimer, 6 Tom Hooper, 5 Josh Canham, 4 Ryan Smith, 3 Massimo de Lutiis, 2 Josh Nasser, 1 Harry Hoopert.
Replacements: 16 Lachlan Lonergan, 17 Tom Lambert, 18 Rhys van Nek, 19 Angus Blyth, 20 Rory Scott, 21 Issak Fines-Leleiwasa, 22 Harry McLaughlin-Phillips, 23 Ollie Sapsford.
HOW TO WATCH AUSTRALIA XV v ENGLAND A IN AUSTRALIA
Australia XV will face England A before the Wallabies-Wales Test on August 18, set to be shown on Stan Sport.
The game will be played live and ad-free on Stan, with coverage starting at 12:30 am ahead of a 1:00 am kick-off.
