England whitewash willing Wallabies
The entertaining nine-try encounter means Australia have been whitewashed in a series on home soil for the first time since 1971 – when South Africa also beat them three-nil.
It was also England's ninth consecutive win under their former Wallabies coach Eddie Jones and follows earlier wins in Brisbane and Melbourne.
With the Vunipola brothers, Mako and Billy, at their most brutal best, England forced a string of penalties – which got the visitors on the front foot at crucial stages.
And with the Australian defence also letting them down, Owen Farrell – who collected 24 points through three conversions and six penalties – ensured his boot kept his team in front, despite the Wallabies outscoring the English by five tries to four.
The Australians were more inventive in attack with Matt Toomua and Bernard Foley providing the main spark, but the Six Nations champions were too consistent for the Wallabies.
Jones had urged his players to maintain their intensity despite clinching the series in Melbourne last week in their "once in a lifetime opportunity" to vanquish Australia 3-0.
England began well and had most of the play before prop Mako Vunipola made a bumping run close to the Australian line.
From the next phase Ben Youngs put prop Dan Cole crashing over near the post for Farrell to convert after 11 minutes.
The Wallabies' response was immediate with Dane Haylett-Petty's pass knocked down by Maro Itoje and the ball was picked up by Israel Folau who dashed up the left touchline.
Folau drew the last line of defence to send Bernard Foley over under the bar and level the scores with his conversion.
The Wallabies were over again seven minutes later after several phases and quick hands by Foley and Folau sent winger Haylett-Petty sprinting over in the corner for a 12-7 lead.
Farrell kept England in touch with a penalty but centre Jonathan Joseph was penalised for not releasing the ball and Foley regained the five-point advantage.
England scored their second try off a brilliant kick regather by fullback Mike Brown who carried over Tevita Kuridrani's tackle to score a converted try to lead 17-15.
Coach Jones took off new open-side flanker Teimana Harrison shortly afterwards and brought on Jack Clifford in a tactical switch.
The Wallabies hit the front on half-time through a Foley penalty to end a frenetic opening half.
The Wallabies were guilty of slack marking in a scrum close to their line when powerful No.8 Billy Vunipola picked the ball up at the scrum and powered through winger Haylett-Petty's tackle to score.
Farrell kicked England further ahead with his second penalty goal.
The Wallabies hit back after great surging run by replacement lock Adam Coleman and Michael Hooper reached out to ground the ball on the try-line for Foley to convert and lock up the game at 25-all.
Farrell again kicked England ahead with his third penalty after 56 minutes.
But Australia scored their fourth try when Matt Toomua broke the line and sent Folau racing away to score. Foley's conversion put the Wallabies up by four points heading into the final quarter of the Test.
Farrell kicked another penalty before a Nick Phipps error put the Wallabies in trouble in their own quarter and replacement hooker Jamie George scored after the ball came off his shin.
Farrell's conversion gave England a six-point lead heading into the final 10 minutes.
The sharpshooter kicked his fifth penalty to give England a nine-point advantage, but Foley kept the Wallabies in it with a 72nd-minute penalty.
But Farrell again kept England in control with his sixth penalty before replacement winger Taqele Naiyaravoro scored a consolation try after the full-time siren.
Man of the match: Sean McMahon was Australia's most productive player by some distance, while Israel Folau posed the biggest threat on attack. As stated, Owen Farrell contributed 24 points with the boot in a clinical display, wile inside him George Ford also made a valuable contribution with his mature tactical display. Ben Youngs was another key to the England victory. However, our award goes to the Vunipola brothers, Billy and Mako, for the manner in which they got England on the front foot through some energetic and forceful carries.
Moment of the match: The Billy Vunipola try early in the second half and the Michael Hooper five-pointer just on the 50-minute mark set the game alight, while the Israel Folau try just short of the hour mark is what put Australia in their best position for a win in the series. However, the fortuitous Jamie George try in the 67th minute grabbed the momentum back for England at a very crucial stage – a lead they did not conceded.
Villain: Nobody, despite the very physical nature of the game.
The scorers:
For Australia:
Tries: Foley, Gaylett-Petty, Hooper, Folau, Naiyaravoro
Cons: Foley 3
Pens: Foley 3
For England:
Tries: Cole, Brown, B Vunipola, George
Cons: Farrell 3
Pens: Farrell 6
Teams:
Australia: 15 Israel Folau, 14 Dane Haylett-Petty, 13 Tevita Kuridrani, 12 Matt Toomua, 11 Rob Horne, 10 Bernard Foley, 9 Nick Phipps, 8 Sean McMahon, 7 Michael Hooper, 6 Scott Fardy, 5 Rob Simmons, 4 Will Skelton, 3 Sekope Kepu, 2 Stephen Moore (captain), 1 James Slipper.
Replacements: 16 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 17 Scott Sio, 18 Greg Holmes, 19 Adam Coleman, 20 Wycliff Palu, 21 Nick Frisby, 22 Christian Leali'ifano, 23 Taqele Naiyaravoro.
England: 15 Mike Brown, 14 Anthony Watson, 13 Jonathan Joseph, 12 Owen Farrell, 11 Jack Nowell, 10 George Ford, 9 Ben Youngs, 8 Billy Vunipola, 7 Teimana Harrison, 6 Chris Robshaw, 5 George Kruis, 4 Maro Itoje, 3 Dan Cole, 2 Dylan Hartley (captain), 1 Mako Vunipola.
Replacements: 16 Jamie George, 17 Matt Mullan, 18 Paul Hill, 19 Joe Launchbury, 20 Courtney Lawes, 21 Jack Clifford, 22 Danny Care, 23 Elliot Daly.
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
Assistant referees: Craig Joubert (South Africa), Mike Fraser (New Zealand)
TMO: Ben Skeen (New Zealand)
