By Peter Ryan – @PeterRyanSports
England will welcome Australia to the Allianz Stadium on Saturday as they aim to secure their first autumn win.
England will be looking to put the narrow loss to New Zealand behind them as they take on the Wallabies.
Steve Borthwick’s squad will feel confident heading into the clash. On paper, it should be a comfortable win for the Englishmen.
However, you can never underestimate Australia and the quality they bring to the table.
It looks to be an intriguing match-up at Twickenham, with many exciting betting odds to go along with it.
England
England have so much talent within the ranks, which is why there is such excitement around the team’s potential.
They finished the 2024 Six Nations looking strong, with a monumental win over Ireland, and backed it up by putting in resilient performances against the All Blacks in New Zealand.
Yet, even though the performances have been promising, they are struggling to get over the line. Last weekend’s game was a perfect example of this: England looked like they were in control heading into the closing stages after a solid performance, but they let New Zealand creep back in and secure the win.
It means the side will head into the clash against Australia with a bit of pressure on their shoulders as they desperately need a result.
They will need the likes of Marcus Smith, Ben Spencer, and Ollie Lawrence to step up in a big way to put on a dominant display against the Aussies.
There have been no changes to the side, apart from Lawrence and Slade switching positions in the centre. It’ll be interesting to see how that plays out, as Slade hasn’t had much game time as an inside centre.
England should feel confident heading into the game, as they have been playing some great rugby of late and need to put it all together for a win.
England will be looking to bounce back after a disappointing defeat to New Zealand, and on paper, they should.
Australia
Australia are in the middle of a rebuild right now, with one eye on a home World Cup in 2027. After a disappointing 2023 World Cup showing, Australia hit the reset button, saying goodbye to Eddie Jones and welcoming Joe Schmidt.
Their international season started well with wins against Wales and Georgia, but they are not the formidable force of years gone by.
Their Rugby Championship campaign was mediocre, securing only one win against Argentina. However, signs of improvement could be seen in their games against Wales, as they ran New Zealand close in both encounters.
Over the last five games, the Wallabies have scored an average of 18 points, with weaknesses on the defensive side, conceding an average of 25 points per contest.
Players like Rob Valetini, Harry Wilson, and Tom Wright will need to step up in a big way if Australia want to pull off a massive upset.
Schmidt should feel quietly confident about his side’s chances, as they will likely target the midfield throughout the game.
The Bets
There are some intriguing betting options for the game. The best bet is for England to win by more than 11 points; on paper, they are much stronger and should secure a comfortable win against the Wallabies.
England also have good value winning with a margin between eight and 14 points.
This is similar to the 11-point spread and reflects the difference between the two sides.
However, backing the underdog could be seen as a rewarding move if you favour a long shot, as if England don’t play at their best, Australia will punish them for it.
There is plenty of quality in the Australian team.
Best Bet: England to win by more than 11 points – 10/11
Value Bet: England to win with a margin between eight and 14 points – 3/1
Longshot Bet: Australia to win – 9/2
READ MORE: Ireland vs All Blacks Match Preview
