Australia's late surge seals 42-37 victory over England in Twickenham thriller

England 37-42 Australia, Twickenham

Australia clinched a dramatic 42-37 victory over England in a high-stakes Autumn Nations Series match at Twickenham, with Max Jorgensen’s last-minute try proving the difference.

The nail-biting finish piled further pressure on England’s head coach Steve Borthwick, whose side now faces a streak of narrow losses and growing questions about their direction.

The match opened with England seizing early control, racing to a 12-point lead through two swift tries from Chandler Cunningham-South and a well-placed penalty by Marcus Smith.

However, England’s momentum faltered as Australia began to exploit gaps in the defense, bringing a swift turnaround before halftime with a blend of quick plays and strategic attacks.

Coming out of halftime, Australia extended their lead when Jeremy Williams powered over in the corner, leaving England trailing by 10 points and struggling to recover their early energy.

England’s response, led by the standout performances of Marcus Smith and Alex Dombrandt, saw Ollie Sleightholme score two quick tries, briefly putting England back in front.

The seesaw battle continued as Andrew Kellaway and Maro Itoje exchanged tries, each side determined to wrestle back the lead in the final stages of the match.

Yet, despite England’s late push, it was Jorgensen’s sprint to the corner in the final minute that delivered the decisive blow, securing a memorable win for the Wallabies.

For England, the loss marks their fourth consecutive defeat and raises significant questions about the effectiveness of Borthwick’s strategy.

Following a similarly painful defeat to New Zealand last week, where missed opportunities cost England the game, this latest setback has sparked scrutiny over the team’s ability to close out tight matches.

Another narrow loss at Allianz Stadium brings England’s shortcomings into sharper focus, especially their struggles to maintain composure in high-stakes moments.

With a lead that seemed secure early in the game, the English side found itself unable to counter Australia’s relentless pace and adaptability. Despite a valiant effort to regain control, England’s defense crumbled at a crucial juncture, paving the way for Jorgensen’s game-winning try.

As Borthwick’s men regroup, the team faces increasing pressure to identify and rectify their vulnerabilities ahead of their remaining Autumn Nations Series fixtures.

With England’s defensive lapses and late-game inconsistencies laid bare, fans and analysts alike are calling for immediate changes to avoid further disappointment.

Team line up:

England XV: 1 Ellis Genge, 2 Jamie George (capt.), 3 Will Stuart; 4 Maro Itoje, 5 George Martin; 6 Chandler Cunningham-South, 7 Tom Curry, 8 Ben Earl; 9 Ben Spencer, 10 Marcus Smith; 11 Tommy Freeman, 12 Henry Slade, 13 Ollie Lawrence, 14 Immanuel Feyi-Waboso; 15 George Furbank.

Reserves: 16 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 17 Fin Baxter, 18 Dan Cole, 19 Nick Isiekwe, 20 Alex Dombrandt; 21 Harry Randall, 22 George Ford, 23 Ollie Sleightholme.

Australia XV: 1 Angus Bell, 2 Matt Faessler, 3 Taniela Tupou; 4 Nick Frost, 5 Jeremy Williams; 6 Rob Valetini, 7 Fraser McReight, 8 Harry Wilson (capt.); 9 Jake Gordon, 10 Noah Lolesio; 11 Dylan Pietsch, 12 Len Ikitau, 13 Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, 14 Andrew Kellaway; 15 Tom Wright.

Reserves: 16 Brandon Paenga-Amosa, 17 James Slipper, 18 Allan Alaalatoa, 19 Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, 20 Langi Gleeson; 21 Tate McDermott, 22 Ben Donaldson, 23 Max Jorgensen.