England beats Australia 40-16 to reach Rugby World Cup semifinals.
Wing Jonny May scored two tries in three first-half minutes as England beat Australia 40-16 on Saturday to become the first team to reach the Rugby World Cup semi-finals.
England outscored their old rivals four tries to one and had 20 points from Owen Farrell’s perfect kicking as they set up a last-four clash with New Zealand or Ireland, who play later.
Strong in defense and clinical in attack, England scored four tries to one and displayed the kind of mental resilience the team has lacked in recent years under Jones.
Australia, which led 3-0 after a dominant first 15 minutes, reduced the deficit to 17-16 with a converted try soon after halftime. England responded with 10 points in the next five minutes in a game-defining period.
“The boys were calm and in control,” England captain Owen Farrell said. “We said it wasn’t about what happened but what’s going to happen next.”
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Next for England is a semifinal match against New Zealand, the defending champion and the world’s top-ranked team, in Yokohama.
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Winger Jonny May, making his 50th international appearance, scored two tries in a three-minute span midway through the first half to put the English 14-3 ahead. It was a lead they never lost despite it being trimmed to one point soon by Australia winger Marika Koroibete’s solo try from halfway in the 43rd minute.
May’s second score came following an interception by England center Henry Slade on his own 22. Slade, a hotly debated pick ahead of George Ford, raced 40 meters forward and then executed a perfect grubber kick to his left that May gathered on the run before finding the left corner.
England led 17-9 at halftime and found its lead trimmed to one point by Koroibete’s try. The response was emphatic.
Three minutes later, Farrell’s flat pass sent in Kyle Sinckler, who cut a great angle to split the defensive line, and a wide smile appeared on the prop’s face well before he had crossed the line.
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