Only 10 of the Wallabies’ 23rd matches were ever Australia lost 25-7 at the Allianz Stadium this time last year, but the end result was the same on Sunday, if not much worse, as the visitors fell to a very disappointing 45-22 defeat.
Tries from winger Max Jorgensen and substitutes Filip Daugunu and blindside Jeremy Williams were scant consolation for a well-beaten side whose lack of consistency at fly-half and center remains an Achilles’ heel less than 12 months on from the home World Cup.
Here’s how we rated the Australian players:
1. Angus Bell – 5
It’s a bit difficult for me because he got a yellow card in the 32nd minute for a tackle on Feyi-Waboso. But it ended up costing his side 14 points. Otherwise, you got what you’d expect from a loosehead – some penalty wins and some losses and a few runs through the middle.
2. Billy Pollard – 5
She lost three lineouts when Australia badly needed possession in good space to establish themselves in the game, and had little impact as a carrier or defender.
3. Allan Alaalato – 5
A solid enough shift in scrum time, but fairly anonymous in open play, and was subbed off in the 45th minute.
4. Josh Canham – 7.5
He missed an early match against Feyi-Waboso, but was Australia’s most effective forward overall. He put pressure on England’s hurling with his line defense and was a huge presence in Australia’s own hurling. A brilliant turnaround close to his own try line just when England have threatened to pile on the misery temporarily gave the men in green and gold some relief.
5. Lukhan Salakaia-Lotto – 4
For such a large unit, Salakaia-Lotto disappointingly failed to impose himself in physical confrontations and was caught in the 46th minute.
6. Jeremy Williams – 6
This was Williams’ first test at blindside, having only played a handful of professional games in the position, and he became increasingly involved as the game wore on after a relatively uneventful first half on both sides of the ball. He showed good poaching instinct to bring the ball down to score his fourth Test.
7. Fraser McReight – 5
Not the 50th gig he had dreamed of. Unable to establish his impact at the breakdown or threaten to add to the five tries he has scored this year. He won five turnovers at Twickenham in 2025, but this time he won none.
8. Harry Wilson (c) – 6
Another head down, into touch performance from Wilson, who led Australia for the 30th time. Australia’s best striker and carrier, but the numbers weren’t exactly off the charts.
9. Ryan Lonergan – 5
Leading scorer among Nations Championship teams this year, Lonergan got Australia on the board with a 12th-minute free kick, moments after receiving some treatment for a neck injury. However, he was brought down on the restart inside his own 22 and wasn’t exactly error-free after that, with a missed tackle on Feyi-Waboso giving England the momentum they needed to score their second try through Ollie Chessum.
10. Declan Meredith – 4
He failed to get the Wallabies’ attack going and almost embarrassed himself when he was slow to get back to save an England kick. Tommy Freeman beat him in pursuit, but to the rookie’s relief, the England winger tapped into the box. He will have sore ribs to remind him of an otherwise forgettable afternoon after taking a big hit from Joe Hayes.
11. Joseph-August Sualii – 6
Still getting lost chasing shots. Australia seem to have forgotten the super-powers that made the man of the match a cross-coder on debut at Twickenham in this match two years ago, and instead remain fixated on his aerial prowess. He was subdued on his first carry and was exposed on several occasions by the defensive end, but came alive as an offensive threat as the game wound down.
12. Len Ikitau – 5.5
Not the return to the team he wanted after missing the second Bledisloe Cup Test. As always, Ikitau was a willing carrier but was mostly stopped at the gain line. Defensively as well, the Wallabies midfield was again at sea. Ikitau were left isolated when Immanuel Feyi-Waboso broke through with just 80 seconds remaining with a ‘try’ which was subsequently disallowed for a forward pass and things didn’t get much better from there.
13. Isaac Henry – 5
He took the first kick-off cleanly, but that was about as good as it got until a good run in the 50th minute that spared him a sub-5 rating. He must take his share of the blame for a defense that was broken too easily, and a free-kick summed up his afternoon entirely.
14. Max Jorgensen – 6
Australia’s last match-winner in 2024 gave the Wallabies the spark they needed with a 60m intercept try on the stroke of half-time. It was the first ball for the Wallabies away to the England 22, and the first time the English-born winger had the chance to show his class on his 13th successive Test start. He was brought into touch by Henry Slade when he would have to back up to score late on.
15. Tom Wright – 5.5
Good hands to Filip Daugunu for his try which went wide a little later. Before that, he lit up Twickenham with a few flashes of brilliant pace and made an important tackle against the rampant Feyi-Waboso in the first half, but he will be frustrated he couldn’t offer more. Damage to Henry Pollock will cost him his life, and he must take his share of the blame for Australia conceding record points to England.
Bench: 5
Underpowered Australia brought in the likes of Taniela Tupou and Rob Valetini to push them forward, but it was second-half top scorer Filippo Daugunu who made the biggest impact, good and bad. He scored a try and then conceded one when he gifted a pass to Ben Spencer. Ben Donaldson came in at half-back and made one break on the line, but lost the ball when he considered an offload and then threw a wild pass into touch.
