Category: Rugby Union

Henry Pollock came off the bench to score two of England’s seven tries as they overwhelmed Australia 45-22 at Twickenham on Sunday to ease the pressure on coach Steve Borthwick.

Sydney Roosters premiership player Sam Walker is reportedly open to a code switch with an eye on representing the Wallabies at next year’s Rugby World Cup in Australia.

Maro Itoje must make sure his side’s emotions do not boil over and the breakdown battle will be pivotal

England are riled up, they feel backed into a corner and if history shows us anything, it is that they tend to perform when their backs are against the wall. It’s a very English trait and Steve Borthwick’s tenure has been punctuated with performances when his side feel as though they have a point to prove. The players certainly have that as they begin their autumn campaign against Australia.

It actually makes me more confident in an England victory. They will have a siege mentality, just as they did against France in the Six Nations – they might not have won that match but it was the best performance of the campaign by some distance. They will want to put on a real show of unity and that can have a galvanising effect. I was nervous about this fixture at the start of the week; I’m less so now.

The Wallabies have a squad capable of magic but doubts remain over whether their talents can be knitted into a great team

There are moments when Australia look like a team that can take on the world. Moments when they’re trailing by two in the 83rd minute at Twickenham and all of a sudden Len Ikitau has snapped an underhand pass through to Max Jorgensen and he’s haring down the wing to score in the corner. Moments when Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii has ripped his way around Tom Curry, inside Bundee Aki, and over Tadhg Beirne, to send Tom Wright racing into the empty space of the British and Irish Lions backfield. Moments when they’re down to 11 men and defending a four-point lead with five to play against the Springboks, and somehow come out of it with a win.

And then there’s the rest of it. There’s never yet been a Wallabies team that didn’t have these flickers and sparks of ability in them, but it has been a long time since there has been one that could do it often enough, for long enough to win, and then all over again in the next Test and the one after. They lost all four Tests on tour in Europe last autumn, and two more in the summer besides. Then they went on an unbeaten run through six more against Italy, Japan, Argentina and South Africa before being knocked on to their backsides by the All Blacks in back-to-back defeats in the Bledisloe Cup, 31 points one week, 22 the next.

• Tom Curry injured during training on Wednesday

• Brother Ben has not played for England since 2025

Tom Curry has emerged as a major doubt for England’s autumn opener against Australia on Sunday, handing Steve Borthwick a huge blow before a crucial November campaign, with twin brother Ben leading the race to start at openside flanker.

It is understood that Tom Curry sustained his latest injury during Wednesday’s full bore training session, throwing Borthwick’s plans for his back-row configuration into disarray. Borthwick will finalise his team selection before announcing it on Friday afternoon but as things stand, Ben is in pole position to wear the No7 jersey.

• Australia coach says recalled 37-year-old adds depth to tour squad

• Tom Hooper overcomes injury to be available for Nations Championship

Coach Les Kiss says veteran playmaker Kurtley Beale is in consideration for Australia’s Rugby World Cup squad after his shock recall for the Wallabies’ spring tour of the UK.

Beale answered Kiss’s SOS call for next month’s three Tests against England, Scotland and Wales, before the inaugural Nations Championship finals from November 21-23.