Australia Report Card: A masterclass of intelligent, attacking rugby

Australia played the sort of consistently intelligent and attacking rugby befitting a team who have completely turned their fortunes around since Michael Cheika took over as coach 12 months ago. The totally outclassed an English team that, barring individual mistakes, did little wrong. Coolly surviving an early second-half fightback from England, the Wallabies refused to panic even after the introduction of George Ford for the hosts added some zip to their attack.

With a penalty and two converted tries in the first half alone, the Waratahs fly-half smacked away criticism that he’s not as exciting as Quade Cooper. If the first try was a try of patience by the whole Wallaby side, the second was all Foley as he started and finished a neat one-two with Kurtley Beale to slice open the England defence. He added another three penalties and a last-minute conversion of Matt Giteau’s try in the second half to complete a masterclass performance that also earned him Australia’s points-scoring record against England.

Criticism by some for his slow play at the breakdown, Genia was nonetheless a solid, steadying influence at the centre of the Australian team for 62 minutes.

The Brumbies vice-captain frustrated England at every turn, especially in the opening 40 minutes when he ended both of the hosts’ most promising moves by turning the ball over at the breakdown.

Not even in the matchday 23, Quade Cooper had already taken a hit. But Bernard Foley’s virtuoso performance for the Wallabies surely dealt a huge blow to any hopes the mercurial Queensland Reds’ fly-half had of returning to the starting line up for the Wales clash next week.