England and Australia will revive their 116-year rivalry on Saturday when they compete for the Ella Mobbs Trophy, hosted by the Wallabies.
Revenge is the order of the day for England, who suffered a crushing defeat to Australia when they played in this tournament last year. Steve Borthwick’s side led after 80 minutes that day, only to watch as Max Jorgenson scored a try to seal the match.
But England are now showing bright spots. They have won their last seven games, culminating in a memorable 26-25 win over France in the Six Nations.
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‘It’s not a distraction’: Schmidt says Wallabies have a chance despite absence
Meanwhile, Australia are licking their wounds after a one-sided trip to the British and Irish Lions ended in a 3-0 series win for the visitors and they emerged with just one win in six games in the Rugby Championship.
Here are the main talking points heading into this weekend’s Autumn Nations Series games:
selection statement
Steve Borthwick cemented his reputation as a bold selector by making some bold picks.
Tommy Freeman’s transition from wing to outside center begins in earnest, new flanker Guy Pepper keeps two British and Irish Lions at bay and Andy Farrell’s six summer tourists are on the bench.
Add in the presence of George Ford ahead of Finn Smith and Marcus Smith (another two Lions) at fly-half, and Borthwick once again showed he is willing to make big decisions.
Discrepancies in preparation
“We have four sessions and they only have four months, that’s the fact of the matter,” Borthwick said earlier this week, reflecting on the lack of time to prepare for the four-match autumn series, which also includes matches against Fiji, New Zealand and Argentina.
The Wallabies have played 11 games so far this year, while England have played eight, the most recent of which was last Saturday’s 19-15 win over Japan in Tokyo.
However, James O’Connor, Len Ikitau, Tom Hooper and Will Skelton were unable to play because the match was outside the international schedule, and Australia’s head coach Joe Schmidt countered that he was envious of England’s schedule.
“This year there will be 15 Test matches over 20 weeks in eight countries and 10 different time zones. To be honest, I would have traded that for four training sessions,” he said.
Borthwick Bomb Squad
England had four Test Lions on their bench, as well as two members of the team that lost the series 2-1 to the Wallabies in the summer.
Borthwick’s preference is to field a six-strong forward unit all at once, creating the potential for a South African-style second-half forward attack.
Tom Curry, Luke Cowan-Dickie and Ellis Genge are among the big players who will be involved in the game at some point, and it is hoped that their experience will help finish the game in the event of a close contest.
marked man
Henry Pollock, who has captured the attention of the rugby world, must prove that his brilliant debut season was not the end but the beginning.
Former England winger Hugo Monnier described the dynamic 20-year-old as “a man who turned heads” after his achievements in 2025, including his Test debut, heroics on the European stage and selection for the Lions.
Pollock, who was selected on the bench for the match against Australia, is aware that competition for a place in the back row will be fierce and hopes to make an explosive impact in the second half.
Australia’s resilience
In theory, an Australian team with problems at fly-half and missing some key personnel should be no match for Twickenham, even in the midst of a resurgence under Schmidt.
But the encounter at the same venue last November and their recent comeback in the Rugby Championship show the Wallabies’ ability to salvage a lost cause.
It was Jorgensen’s extra-time try that secured a dramatic 42-37 win against England 12 months ago, with the talented winger once again wearing the number 14 shirt.