Painful defeat leaves wasteful Wallabies in a valley of darkness

The Wallabies are not in crisis, but they are at a crossroads. Despite enjoying 60% possession and dominating the running statistics, they failed to extinguish Eddie Jones’s England, losing a gripping decider 21-17 in front of 43,274 fans at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

The inaugural Ella-Mobbs Trophy now takes up residence in the northern hemisphere with Australia left to rue ill discipline, blown chances and a style of play they are yet to earn. Too often the men in gold opted for cute sleight of hand and expansive backline movements when they should have ground it out, settled and reset, before using their weapons out wide.

This series defeat hurts all the more because England arrived under pressure, at the end of a long season and without key personnel. Australia can point to a huge injury toll that forced more than a dozen changes to the starting side, but they are at the beginning of their international season and should have been fresher, faster and far better on home turf.

Instead of climbing new heights and charting brighter horizons, Michael Hooper’s men find themselves in a valley of darkness. And things could get worse before they improve. Australia have a tough run in the next 10 weeks: a trip to Argentina for two Tests against a dangerous Michael Cheika-coached Pumas side, then home games against South Africa in Adelaide and Sydney, before the challenge of stopping a 20th consecutive Bledisloe loss against an All Blacks team humiliated by Ireland and desperate to destroy all in their path.

Even the home Tests present little advantage. Brisbane’s Suncorp fortress was breached by the English marauders in game two, snapping a streak of 10 straight Test wins. They face South Africa in Adelaide, not exactly a