England v Australia - Rugby Preview

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SteemSports Presenter: @factsoflife

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SteemSports Editor: @mojorisin

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England and Australia are the biggest of sporting rivals and this afternoon at Twickenham the two nations meet in a mouthwatering Autumn International Test, which will surely see the rugby public salivating at the intensity of the match.
The two have met 48 times in total, with the Wallabies slightly ahead of the Red Rose with 25 wins to England's 22, with one game being drawn.

After England’s epic 2003 World Cup win against Australia in Sydney, they only won three of the next ten matches between the two. However, in recent times the pendulum has swung England’s way and they have enjoyed dominance over the Aussies.

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It's always a tough match between England and Australia

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Saturday's hosts have won eight of the last 10 Tests between the two teams and famously whitewashed them in Australia in 2016. However, one of the two recent defeats came in the RWC which saw England exit at the group stage, but since then Australia have slid while England have risen meteorically.

This year, however, Australia are in the throws of a resurgence and are the most recent side to beat Steve Hansen's All Blacks after a 23-18 win in Brisbane last month. And this Test, like every other England v Australia match up is going to be a classic.

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Itoje and Farrell return for England

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And with the returning Owen Farrell England have a fresh and hungry Lion biting at the bit to make his stamp on this Autumn series. Maro Itoje returns on the bench and we can expect a major impact from the England forward from about 50 minutes. But it’s going to be in the breakdown or the back, I believe where the match could be decided.

An interesting match up is going to be Sam Underhhill and Michael Hooper. The Wallaby is undoubtedly the best No. 7 in the world and has been for a couple of years now, but England have a star in the making with Underhill.

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Underhill v Hooper at No.7 will be a key clash

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After impressing in his full debut against the Pumas last week, Underhill will be tested fully against Hooper, but his ability to stop runners in their tracks with a low centre of gravity makes him a vital component in England's attack. It will be interesting to see how the youngster performs against his world class opponent, and the battle at the break down could make the difference today.

The battle of the Back threes could also prove to be the decisive factor. England have probably the fastest back three in the world with Johnny May returning from injury to play alongside Anthony Watson and Elliot Daly it is a really exciting back three for England. No doubt Eddie Jones will have given them a licence to run at the Aussies. So, Australia's tactical kicking will need to be pinpoint, as the counter-attacking abilities of England's triumvirate could pose major problems for the Wallabies.

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Johnny May is returning as part of England's Tirumvirate

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Australia's back three are no slouches either. With Kurtley Beale, Marika Koroibete and Reece Hodge picked to start, there’s no doubt they could cause England problems of their own.

Kurtley Beale is playing full-back on tour due to the absence of Israel Folau. The 28-year-old returns to England following a stint with Wasps, which he says reignited his passion for the game while also making him a better player.

Kurtley Beale will be key for the Wallabies

"I learned a lot from my experience here at Wasps," Beale said. "Understanding different styles of games and plays. Being away lit the fire in the belly to put on the gold jersey again. While I can still represent my country at the highest level, I felt I needed to give myself every chance to do so.”

And Australia are reaping the rewards of the resurgent Beale. The 69-cap Wallaby has been in fine form since returning, and says his experience gives him the confidence to play his natural game. The full-back will need to play a strong leadership role from the back, as his two partners at the back are relatively inexperienced. If Beale can ignite his backs, they could definitely give England a runaround. Either way, it's going to be an intriguing Test match and I think England might snatch it by 5 points.

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