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Monday, 13 June 2016 00:53 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
AFP: England rugby union coach Eddie Jones said he wasn’t getting carried away despite his side recording their first ever win over Australia in Brisbane on Saturday.
England flyhalf Owen Farrell scored 24 points as England beat the Wallabies 39-28 in a thrilling Test match to open their three-Test series.
The 11-point win was the first ever by England in Brisbane and came against an Australian side ranked number two in the world.
“What we’ve done tonight is give ourselves one more game in the series,” Jones said.
“We made history tonight, but that’s not enough for us. It’s all about next week.” The Wallabies scored four tries to three but were second best for much of the game and were fortunate to get as close as they did.
Farrell kicked six penalties and three conversions in a near-faultless display in front of 48,700 fans at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium.
England, who led 29-13 midway through the second half, almost let the match slip as Australia came storming back to get within four points at 32-28.
But they held firm and when replacement winger Jack Nowell crossed in the 80th minute, the visitors were able to celebrate taking a 1-0 lead in the three-match series for the Cook Cup.
England players surround Australia’s Greg Holmes (C) during the international rugby union match between Australia and England in Brisbane on 11 June - AFP
AFP: Ireland overcame playing 57 minutes a man short to shock the Springboks 26-20 on Saturday and clinch a landmark first victory in South Africa.
Flanker CJ Stander was red-carded for a dangerous tackle, but it did not stop the visitors winning a Test in the republic for the first time after seven defeats since 1961.
French referee Mathieu Raynal also yellow-carded Springboks lock Lood de Jager and Ireland centre Robbie Henshaw during the opening half of the first Test.
South Africa were a major disappointment under new coach Allister Coetzee and new captain Adriaan Strauss, looking lethargic for much of the game.
The teams meet again next Saturday in Johannesburg and in Port Elizabeth on 25 June.
“It took an unbelievable effort with 14 men to achieve victory,” said Ireland hooker and skipper Rory Best.
“We had to dig really deep and a lot of very tired Irish boys trooped off the pitch at the end. Our plan when a man short was to own the ball.
“Credit to our half-backs (fly-half Paddy Jackson and scrum-half Conor Murray) for running the game and our bench made a huge impact.”
Strauss said: “We had chances to score more points, but made too many unforced errors and gave away too many penalties.”
Only eight Springboks who started in the World Cup third-place play-off victory over Argentina last October began their first Test this season.
Those missing included retired centre Jean de Villiers and lock Victor Matfield and winger Bryan Habana, who is set to play in the Rio Olympics sevens.
