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Monday, 27 June 2016 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
England Captain Dylan Hartley holds aloft the Australia - England test series trophy after winning their third game against Australia – Reuters
Sydney (Reuters): England coach Eddie Jones said it was “fantastic” effort by his squad to win all three tests against the Wallabies in June - the first time Australia have suffered a whitewash in a home series since 1971.
Although he repeated his mantra that England were a long way from their goal of becoming the number one side in the world, Jones could not disguise his pleasure at sweeping the side that knocked the hosts out of last year’s World Cup.
“Very few sides beat Australia in Australia. The All Blacks do. But there aren’t too many other sides. But we’ve not only beaten Australia we’ve beaten them 3-0,” Jones told a news conference.
In the final match of the series in Sydney, the Wallabies scored five tries to England’s four, though ended up losing 44-40 thanks to the superb kicking of England flyhalf Owen Farrell, who slotted over six penalties and three conversions.
Asked whether Farrell’s kicking was now world class, Jones joked that it was “solar system class”.
“Owen’s been absolutely terrific on tour. He’s kicked well, he’s played well, a really good performance.”
Jones praised his side for showing fitness, toughness and bravery in closing out the match at the end of a long season.
“It was a fantastic effort from the squad to beat a very good and determined Australian side,” Jones said.
England are unbeaten in nine games under Jones, and 10 going back to the devastating loss to the Wallabies at the World Cup, and came to Australia after securing the Six Nations championship with a grand slam.
“It was a fantastic series,” said Jones. “Three really cracker games. There were weaknesses in the Australian side that we identified so we thought we could get them in the various areas.”
England won the first test in Brisbane 39-28 before securing their first series triumph in Australia with a 23-7 victory in Melbourne on the back of huge defensive effort.
Jones said he hoped the victory would be welcomed in England after Thursday’s shock Brexit vote to leave the European Union, which triggered a slump in the British currency.
“I’m sure people in England are maybe talking a little bit less about the pound and maybe more about the value of the England rugby side,” he said with a trademark grin.
