England v Australia: Teams and Prediction

PREVIEW: England and Australia will renew their rivalry when they meet in the Nations Championship at Twickenham on Sunday in one of the standout clashes of the opening round of November internationals.

Both camps head into the encounter dealing with off-field turbulence, with England head coach Steve Borthwick under scrutiny and Australia embroiled in a contract dispute.

It is not unusual for coaches to receive a vote of confidence from their employers, but the Rugby Football Union (RFU) have gone above and beyond in their backing of England boss Borthwick.

England players close ranks around Borthwick after toxic culture claims

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— Rugby365 (@rugby365com) November 6, 2026

This week, RFU chief executive Bill Sweeney gave Borthwick his unequivocal support to lead England into the 2027 Rugby World Cup.

Two months ago, the RFU extended Borthwick’s contract until after the 2028 Six Nations, despite England losing four of their five matches in a single Championship for the first time in the tournament’s history.

England have also lost five of their last seven Tests, but Sweeney remains convinced that Borthwick is the right man for the job.

“We’re committed to Steve. We believe in what he’s doing.

“We had a difficult Six Nations this year, we accept that, but we just want to see continued progress and we’re backing him to get that done,” Sweeney said.

Meanwhile, Australia begin their European tour under the shadow of a pay dispute that threatens to develop into a bitter standoff ahead of the 2027 World Cup on home soil.

The Wallabies’ two most recent Tests, in which they conceded a combined 93 points in two heavy defeats to New Zealand, were the final matches played under the previous collective bargaining agreement between Rugby Australia (RA) and its players, signed in 2023.

In April, RA announced a record operating surplus of A$70 million (US$48 million), just two years after reporting a A$37 million deficit.

The governing body is also set to receive a hosting fee of approximately A$100 million from World Rugby for staging the 2027 World Cup.

However, despite the improved financial picture, the underlying finances of Australian rugby remain precarious. Australia only hosts the British and Irish Lions once every 12 years, and it could be a considerable time before the country stages another Rugby World Cup after 2027.

Australian rugby union players are also paid considerably less than their counterparts in rugby league, where the National Rugby League (NRL) remains a thriving competition.

Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt’s successor, Les Kiss, has insisted that the ongoing negotiations are not proving a distraction to his squad.

“All I know is that they’re the right people in the room trying to find a solution, to find a win-win that can work, and I’m just focused on getting the team right,” he said.

“I’ve got to say the boys, they don’t talk about it, they just focus on what the job is, which is pleasing.”

England head into the encounter looking to build on their recent performances in the Nations Championship.

After suffering defeat to South Africa in their opening fixture, Borthwick’s men bounced back emphatically with a convincing 73-8 victory over Fiji before negotiating a fiery encounter against Argentina.

With just two points separating France, Scotland, England and Ireland in the Northern Hemisphere standings, there is plenty at stake ahead of the Finals Weekend, scheduled for 27-29 November.

England currently occupy third place in the Northern Hemisphere table, while Australia are also third in the Southern Hemisphere standings.

That could set up a potential rematch between the two sides during the competition’s end-of-month finals.

England will also draw confidence from their recent record against the Wallabies. Their last meeting ended in a convincing 25-7 victory for England, who have won three of their last five encounters against Australia.

However, the visitors will arrive with plenty of motivation of their own.

Australia produced an impressive victory over world champions South Africa, despite being reduced to 11 players at one stage, but subsequently suffered successive heavy defeats against New Zealand.

The Wallabies will be eager to put those setbacks behind them and deliver a statement performance at Twickenham.

Players to watch: 

For England: The big news for England is the return of captain Maro Itoje. The imposing lock missed the Southern Hemisphere leg of the tournament but returns refreshed and ready to make his mark against the Wallabies. No.8 Ben Earl is another player to keep a close eye on. The dynamic loose forward has enjoyed a relatively quiet campaign by his own high standards, but he remains a quality performer whose physicality and work rate could prove crucial. In the backline, Fin Smith has passed his fitness test and will wear the No.10 jersey against Australia. His ability to dictate proceedings and control the game could be vital to England’s attacking ambitions.

For Australia: Loose forward Fraser McReight will earn his 50th Test cap, giving him extra motivation to celebrate the milestone in style. The Wallabies will be hoping their influential back-rower marks the occasion with a big performance. There is also plenty of power in the Australian front row, with Angus Bell returning as the starting loosehead prop alongside hooker Billy Pollard and tighthead Allan Alaalatoa. In the midfield, Len Ikitau returns after missing the previous Test against New Zealand due to concussion protocols. The centre impressed against the Springboks and will be keen to pick up where he left off. His return also reignites a midfield partnership with Isaac Henry, who is set to make his first Test appearance on British soil.

Prediction: 

Rugby365: England by 10 points

Teams: 

England: 15 George Furbank, 14 Tommy Freeman, 13 Henry Slade, 12 Seb Atkinson, 11 Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, 10 Fin Smith, 9 Jack van Poortvliet,  8 Ben Earl, 7 Ben Curry, 6 Ollie Chessum, 5 Alex Coles, 4 Maro Itoje (captain), 3 Joe Heyes, 2 Jamie George, 1 Fin Baxter.
Replacements: 16 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 17 Ellis Genge, 18 Will Stuart, 19 George Martin, 20 Greg Fisilau, 21 Henry Pollock, 22 Ben Spencer, 23 Marcus Smith.

Australia: 15 Tom Wright, 14 Max Jorgensen, 13 Isaac Henry, 12 Len Ikitau, 11 Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, 10 Declan Meredith, 9 Ryan Lonergan, 8 Harry Wilson (captain), 7 Fraser McReight, 6 Jeremy Williams, 5 Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, 4 Josh Canham, 3 Allan Alaalatoa, 2 Billy Pollard, and 1 Angus Bell.
Replacements: 16 Josh Nasser, 17 Isaac Kailea, 18 Taniela Tupou, 19 Rob Valetini, 20 Carlo Tizzano, 21 Tate McDermott, 22 Ben Donaldson, 23 Filipo Daugunu.

Date: Saturday, November 8
Venue: Allianz Stadium, Twickenham.
Kick-off: 15.10 UK & IRE (15.10 GMT; 02.10 AEDT Monday, November 9)
Expected weather: It is mostly cloudy with a low of 4°C and a high of 10°C
Referee: Pierre Brousset (France)
Assistant Referees: Nika Amashukeli (Georgia), Jérémy Rozier (France)
TMO: Tual Trainini (France)

*Additional reporting: AFP