England vs Australia: Top 4 Performances from Twickenham

England and Australia conjured up a thrilling test match to end the 2014 Autumn Internationals. The English pack were dominant throughout, whereas Australia looked very dangerous in the backs and secured quick ruck ball time and again. The top four performers this week reflect those realities, but one England back does merit inclusion.

Ben Morgan has been unlucky not to win more caps for England. At times in his career, he has been behind Billy Vunipola. And at others, England have preferred flanker Tom Wood at No. 8. No longer. After being England’s best player in a try-scoring performance from the bench against South Africa two weeks ago, Morgan added two more tries to his England tally.

TRY Morgan! England lead 13-3 at the break! QBE rugby updates brought to you by @SamsungMobileUK #GalaxyNote4. http://t.co/KfTCr6vMqw

— Sky Sports Rugby (@SkySportsRugby) November 29, 2014

The first showed his strength and wily movement to cross from five metres (see above), and the second (see below) demonstrated fine control of the ball at the back of a forward and laterally-moving scrum, combined with a quick dart for the line.

TRY Morgan! England lead 13-3 at the break! QBE rugby updates brought to you by @SamsungMobileUK #GalaxyNote4. http://t.co/24DHPpHByv

— Sky Sports Rugby (@SkySportsRugby) November 29, 2014

Morgan’s form has been one of the few plus points for England this autumn.

Adam Ashley-Cooper may be 30, but the utility back with over 100 caps for Australia was the best outside back on display at Twickenham. Every time he received the ball, his positioning and the timing of his run gave him passing and running options that were a constant threat to England’s defence.

In the first half, deciding to dummy and go for the line a few metres out, he was only denied an excellent try by the defensive tracking of Courtney Lawes. With Australia accommodating mercurial talents Quade Cooper and Kurtley Beale in their second-half back line, Ashley-Cooper provided solidity, intelligence and instinctiveness crucial to Australia's balance.

Had his pack provided any sort of a platform from the set piece, Ashley-Cooper would have been even more effective.

George Ford started his second test match for England and was an assured presence throughout. Key to England’s upturn in fortunes has been Ford’s kicking from hand. While he lacks Owen Farrell’s distance from the tee, the range of Ford’s kicking in-play sets him apart from his English peers.

After delivering a fine cross-field kick for Mike Brown’s try against Samoa last week, Ford’s up-and-unders and kicking for territory were superb. He put the Australia back-three, particularly Israel Folau, under consistent pressure, and the kicks were finely weighted to give wingers Anthony Watson and Jonny May a chance to compete. 

George Ford claims England No10 shirt as his own. Dispatch from Twickenham by @_PaulHayward http://t.co/XTMDpwsL8H pic.twitter.com/MPRk1ABYo0

— Telegraph Sport (@TelegraphSport) November 29, 2014

 It is hard to think of a more accomplished kicking display from hand in an England shirt for 10 years.

Lawes, in 54 minutes on the field, gave a timely reminder of his all-round skills. This was Lawes at his best, particularly in athletic defence. He made crucial tackles on the Australian backs. The first, a diving attempt to foil Ashley-Cooper, denied the Wallabies an early try. Then, in the second half, he made a tackle on full-back Israel Folau when it appeared as though the Australian flyer had gone past him.

#ENGvAUS Courtney Lawes is off for George Kruis. He had tackled himself to a standstill

— Rugby World (@Rugbyworldmag) November 29, 2014

At the scrum, he was also part of a near-perfect display from England’s tight five.

Lawes, for 54 minutes, was the best player on the pitch.