REACTION: 'Talking smack about us': England skipper Lawes reveals 'fuel' Wallabies gave them in bitter battle

England produced an incredible defensive performance, making 153 tackles to 69, to edge Australia 21-17 in Sydney and win the Ellis-Mobbs Cup 2-1.

Eddie Jones, who was under fire after losing the opening Test in Perth, has gained his second triumph Down Under as England coach following the 2016 clean sweep.

England captain Courtney Lawes, a surprise choice as tour captain ahead of Owen Farrell, praised the Australians but said they fired them up with comments in the media, claiming the English overdid the niggle in the first two Tests.

“They give us a good bit of fuel in the press to be fair,” said Lawes. “They were talking smack about us. That motivated us a bit but the boys stuck together, stuck to our guns. We didn’t fire that many shots tonight unfortunately but we found a way to win, that’s the big improvement.”

England prop Ellis Genge, who was massive in Brisbane and involved with clashes with Nic White and Michael Hooper, agreed with Lawes.

“Went 1-0 down in the first game, backs against the wall,” said Genge.

“Typically the English are better as underdogs. It was hard for us to get up again but they came out in the press and said a bit of smack and it got us up for the last one.”

Jones told Stan Sport that “we don’t talk about those things but maybe the senior players said something.” His deflection can’t take away from the sense of rage the visitors felt about being accused of niggle after Darcy Swain’s red card in Perth and the incidents Hooper and White in Brisbane.

Join The Roar experts Brett McKay, Harry Jones and Jim Tucker for their verdict on the third Test

Wallabies captain Michael Hooper said he was forever proud of the group.

“But I don’t think we were clinical,” said Hooper. “We created good opportunities tonight, just not good enough to finish them.

“We grinded, we played some good footy. We didn’t execute how we wanted but there’s so much grit in this group. There has been a lot of adversity. It was a shame we can’t do it here. It hurts.”

Samu Kerevi of the Wallabies is tackled during game three of the International Test match series between the Australia Wallabies and England at the Sydney Cricket Ground. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

Australia started terribly in Brisbane but were much more focussed and intense from the kick off in front of a full house at what looks like being the final Test at the SCG.

Lock Nick Frost, on starting debut, forced a charge down from the opening play and it set the tone for the Wallabies to get straight on the front foot.

Frost was heavily involved and won praise from former Wallabies lock Justin Harrison on Stan Sport.

“He set the tone and showed presence,” said Harrison. “You don’t have to wait to play 50 Tests to show up for the Wallabies. Nick Frost is showing up tonight. You look across the park at Billy Vunipola, you have to match that intensity.”

Noah Lolesio missed a penalty attempt on four minutes – his first failure from 10 attempts in the series. The Wallabies should have made the most of their territory but their final execution lacked precision – notably when fullback Reece Hodge threw the ball high over Tom Wright into touch with the try line beckoning.

Taniela Tupou, in his second game back from eight weeks injured, also struggled with ball in hand, a loose pass to Frost going too low and later a flicked no look pass that was dropped by James Slipper led to an England penalty.

It had been all Australia through the opening 15 minutes but England on the scoreboard first, Farrell kicking the 17th minute penalty.

But the Wallabies fought back, going 80 metres in the 24th minute with a special try to Wright. Marika Koroibete, coming in off the left wing set Wright away down the right flank and his pass back into White was shot straight back to him and he charged over.

Lolesio nailed the kick from out wide and he added a penalty to push Australia out to a 10-3 lead.

But in the final ten minutes of the half Australia’s discipline faltered and two moments were key.

First Hodge heaved a kick out on the full from outside his 22 and Billy Vunipola forced a penalty soon after to allow Farrell to cut the gap to four points.

Then Tupou’s drop pass led to another England penalty. Farrell banged that one against an upright but they got another soon after and went for a lineout instead. After several phases under penalty advantage, and the half time siren having sounded, Wright was beaten near the line by giant England No.15 Freddie Steward and the visitors went to the sheds up 11-10.

“We opened them in the early in the game,” said Wallabies assistant Dan McKellar at halftime. “Just our pure execution at key moments when we got in behind them let us down. There’s certainly a lot of positives in terms of we’re breaking their defensive line down.

“We want to be optimistic but we just can’t be loose. It’s all about being clinical and nailing the opportunities when we have them presented to us and not over playing our hand.”

But just as he feared the Wallabies blew their first big opportunity minutes into the second half. Harry Wilson, playing his first Test in 11 months, illegally joined a ruck after some great Australian pressure around the England 22.

The tourists made the most of the reprieve and won a penalty which Farrell made no mistake with.

With 50 minutes gone Marcus Smith started finding some gaps and then seized on a Lolesio error to score a stunning run away try.

“What a moment for England’s player of the future for the next 10 years, Marcus Smith,” said Tim Horan.

“He has been absolutely brilliant in the English premiership for Harlequins. He set the season alight. He is 50m out. Nic White couldn’t get anything on him. What a turning point in this Test match. Marcus Smith, brilliant.”

Farrell kicked the extras and the Wallabies were drowning.

“We saw just before that mistake from the Wallabies, the defensive unit from the Wallabies getting fractured,” said Morgan Turinui. “Players acting individually. They need to go back, reset and work together because at the moment this England side are finding far too many gaps.”

With Australia 21-10 down Dave Rennie started going to the bench. Pete Samu came on and won an instant penalty and Tate McDermott joined the fray on the hour and was joined by Allan Alaalatoa and Folau Fainga’a, who came up with a try on 65 minutes.

With McDermott upping the energy, the Wallabies gained five penalties inside the England 22, the visitors lucky to escape a yellow, and Fainga’a, who faced calls to be dropped after a poor cameo in Brisbane, drove over from close range.

“It shows the importance of the bench,” said Sonny Billy Williams. “Dave Rennie has gone for a quality bench here with Fainga’a, Allan Alaalatoa, Bell, McDermott, and it it is starting to pay dividends.”

Australia pushed and probed but England’s defence as immense. With four minutes to go Australia put together 18 phases of attack and England just kept tackling before finally Luke Cowan-Dickie came up with decisive penalty relief.

Rennie took his final roll of the dice on 77 minutes, withdrawing Hodge and sending on ex-NRL star Suli Vunivalu, hoping for a miracle at the death.

With two to play Australia had 75 metres to make up and a minute later lost the ball and England forced a goal line drop out. Australia gained a scrum but it was after the siren and the Ellis-Mobbs Cup is heading to England.

“We’ve talked about the strength of the Wallabies squad,” said Justin Harrison. “This is a very strong England squad as well. It is a young squad. Got some talismanic older players but the majority of the players touring Australia for the first time, looking forward to the World Cup, that is a squad that’s going to carry the weight of England’s hopes through.

“We’ve seen enough from our Wallaby group to know this Wallaby jersey means a lot to this playing group. They have found a spine to take that into the next couple of Test matches. They will start to get the rub of the green.”