England’s Review of Australia Loss Deemed “Brutal”

Ollie Sleightholme showcased his strong performance from Northampton Saints by scoring two tries for England in the match against Australia. The Autumn Nations Series will feature England facing South Africa at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, on Saturday, 16 November, with a kick-off scheduled for 17:40 GMT. Coverage will be available via live commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds, as well as live text commentary on the BBC Sport website and app. According to wing Ollie Sleightholme, England’s assessment of their narrow loss to Australia, decided in the final moments, was “brutal” yet essential for the team. The team led by Steve Borthwick allowed 42 points at Allianz Stadium in Twickenham. Replacement wing Max Jorgensen secured a try in the fourth minute of injury time, negating what appeared to be a decisive late try from England’s Maro Itoje. This outcome marked their second close defeat in the Autumn Nations Series, following a two-point loss against New Zealand, and represented their fourth consecutive defeat. Sleightholme conveyed to BBC Sport, “It has been really good to chew the fat on what happened and really get a grasp of what we need to do and what needs to change. It was a brutal view and it needs to be. It was a case of getting it all out there and not shying away from any of it. At the end of the day we didn’t get it done. It is a frustrating review and a frustrating game to look back on. We left some opportunities out there and we didn’t nullify some of their attacks. There are a few things [to work on] in all areas.” The 24-year-old Sleightholme entered the game as a substitute and scored two tries in the second half, marking his initial two international scores. Marcus Smith’s conversion from the touchline, following the Northampton wing’s second try, gave England a 30-28 advantage as the match approached its final 10 minutes. Nevertheless, two tries by the Wallabies, occurring before and after Itoje’s score in the 78th minute, resulted in Australia securing only their second victory over England in their last 12 encounters. The intense conclusion of the game also thwarted what would have been an ideal debut at Allianz Stadium for Sleightholme, who earned his third cap on Saturday. “It was nice to score but it doesn’t mean anything if you don’t win,” he further stated. This marks the fourth occasion in five matches where Borthwick’s team has lost due to the outcome of the final play, following two tightly contested Tests against the All Blacks in July and a 33-31 loss to France in their concluding game of this year’s Six Nations. This Saturday, England is scheduled to compete against world champions South Africa, who triumphed over Scotland in their initial autumn fixture on Sunday. England number eight Ben Earl conceded, “We’re testing fans’ patience, testing our patience. It feels like we won the game twice against Australia and then managed to lose it. Frustrating. Not the same old problems, different problems, but the same overwhelming feeling of another game that we’ve let slip. So food for thought.” Sandi Toksvig will be accompanied by Gyles Brandreth, Lulu, Emmanuel Sonubi, and Alan Davies. Opportunities to sing along to Queen, Taylor Swift, Bon Jovi, Katy Perry, and more will be available. Ben Fogle and Kate Humble are returning for the celebrations at Longleat Safari Park. Discussions will cover topics ranging from microplastics in our air, soil, and waterways to the amount of food waste at this time of year. © 2024 BBC. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.