England hold firm to take series win in Australia

England dug deep to complete a series victory over Australia with a 21-17 win in the third Test at Sydney Cricket Ground that saw towering rookies Freddie Steward and Tommy Freeman play starring roles.

Eddie Jones’ tourists built a 21-10 lead through tries from Steward and Marcus Smith and the kicking of Owen Farrell, but it began to crumble when Folau Fainga’a crossed in the 66th minute.

But instead of folding as they did in the first Test, England showed the resolve to keep the Wallabies out despite sustained late pressure, with Luke Cowan-Dickie and Courtney Lawes combining to secure a critical late turnover.

Lawes told BBC Radio 5 live: "We dug in, fair play to Australia with the casualties they have had, they did a great job and put us to the test but we stuck together and stuck at it.

"We fought for each other, we had a great four weeks here and enjoyed it. They gave us a bit of fuel in the press, we stuck to out guns, we found a way to win."

Until play became tighter in the closing stages, full-back Steward and wing Freeman operated as England’s most dangerous players, using their pace, size and clever running lines to good effect.

There were shades of 2016 when veteran scrum-half Danny Care was hooked in the 37th minute as the price for an error-ridden display that included a charged-down kick, knock-on and missed tackle.

Jones had seen enough and removed Care in the same way he had withdrawn Luther Burrell and Teimana Harrison in the first and third Tests six years ago. On this occasion the change was rewarded with another solid shift from Jack van Poortvliet.

It could be the last time Care is seen in an England jersey given he has only just returned following nearly four years in international exile, and the