England will want to follow up a stirring performance in the first Test against Australia with another similar one when the two teams meet in Melbourne on Saturday. With a 1-0 lead in the three-match Test series, England can clinch the Cook Cup with a victory at the AAMI Park.
Eddie Jones' men were quite impressive in the first Test in Brisbane last Saturday, beating the Wallabies 39-28. There is a massive difference to this England side when compared to the one that flopped in the World Cup last year, and a lot of that is down to the coach Jones.
If Jones can inspire England to a second straight victory against the country of his birth or not remains to be seen. "After an historic win in Brisbane, it would have been easy to say: 'We've done it, we've made some history,'" England captain Dylan Hartley was quoted as saying by The Guardian. "But straight afterwards in the changing room we said: 'Well done everyone but we park that here and we go again.'
"The bigger picture, the real history, is to be made this week and that is the challenge and opportunity for us. We are ready and I know the guys are desperate to win this weekend."
Australia will not want to relinquish their hold on the Cook Cup as easily, but the World Cup finalists will know they need to improve their performance if they are to take this series to the decided next weekend. Michael Cheika, the coach, has made four changes to his XV – Jones has named three changes – and he will hope that does the trick come match time.
"I love being in this situation," Cheika was quoted as saying by BBC Sport. "I know that sounds crazy. (But) we are in a battle, let's go.
"After the game in Brisbane, I was miserable, I wanted to cry, [but] I am looking forward to Saturday immensely, I'm certainly not desperate."
Teams: Australia: I Folau, D Haylett-Petty, T Kuridrani, S Kerevi, R Horne, B Foley, N Phipps, S McMahon, M Hooper, S Fardy, S Carter, R Arnold, S Kepu, S Moore (C), J Slipper
Replacements: T Polota-Nau, T Smith, G Holmes, D Mumm, B McCalman, N Frisby, L Morahan, C Lealiifano.
England: M Brown; A Watson, J Joseph, O Farrell, J Nowell; G Ford, B Youngs; M Vunipola, D Hartley (C), D Cole, G Kruis, M Itoje, C Robshaw, J Haskell, B Vunipola.
Replacements: J George, M Mullan, P Hill, J Launchbury, C Lawes, J Clifford, D Care, E Daly.
Where to Watch Live
Australia vs England is scheduled for an 8 p.m. local time (3.30 p.m. IST, 11 a.m. BST) start. Below are the live streaming and TV options.
India: No coverage.
Australia: TV: Channel 10. Live Streaming: Tenplay.
UK: TV: Sky Sports 1. Live Streaming: Watch Sky Sports and Sky Go.
South Africa: TV: SuperSport 1. Live Streaming: SuperSport Live Video.
Asia: TV: Setanta.
