History of rugby union matches between Australia and England
The rivalry between the
England and Australia played each other twice during the 1960s, first in 1963, when the Wallabies defeated England 18–9 at Sydney's Sports Ground, during England’s first tour overseas. They met again in 1967 during the 1966–67 Australia rugby union tour of Britain, Ireland and France and Australia triumphed 23–11 at Twickenham. The nations played each other another four times during the 1970s; with England winning 20–3 at Twickenham in 1973, Australia winning 16–9 at the Sydney Cricket Ground in 1975 and again one week later 30–21 at Ballymore during the 1975 England rugby union tour of Australia, and England winning in 1976, 23–6 at Twickenham, as part of the 1975–76 Australia rugby union tour of Britain, Ireland and the United States.
The two nations would meet six times during the 1980s, the first encounter was in 1982, during the 1981–82 Australia rugby union tour of Britain and Ireland with England defeating Australia 15–11 at Twickenham. Two years later the Wallabies were victorious at Twickenham, winning 19–3 on their way to winning their first and up to now only Grand Slam. The next match was a pool match in the inaugural 1987 Rugby World Cup at Sydney's Concord Oval in 1987, which Australia won 19–6. The nations played three times in 1988: Australia won 22–16 in Brisbane and 28–8 at the Concord Oval, during the 1988 England rugby union tour of Australia and Fiji with England winning the third and final match at Twickenham 28–19.
The sides met three times during the 1990s before the end of the amateur era and the introduction of the Cook Cup. The first match was in 1991 at the
Cook Cup and Ella-Mobbs Trophy (since 1997)
The Cook Cup came about at the start of Rugby Union's professional era, when the
In 1998 Australia ran out 76-0 winners at
The single-test format remained for 2002, and England successfully defended the Cook Cup by beating Australia 32–31 at Twickenham. In 2003, the Cook Cup was again decided over one match, owing to the
The 2004 Cook Cup was contested over two matches. The first post-World Cup edition of the challenge saw Australia beat England in Brisbane in June and then again in London in November to reclaim the Cook Cup for the first time since 1999. The 2005 Cook Cup was contested over a single test, which England won 26–16 at Twickenham. In June 2006 the countries played a two-match test series in Australia, with the home team winning both matches to regain the Cup.
The Cook Cup has been contested nearly every year since, with the exception of the World Cup years (2007, 2011, 2015 and 2019). Australia retained the cup in 2008, 2009 and the mid-year tests of 2010, before England regained it in the 2010 end-of-year tests. Australia regained the cup in 2012, but since then England have dominated the series, winning it outright in 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2021 and 2022. The match scheduled for Twickenham in November 2020 did not take place, making 2020 the first non-World Cup year this century in which the Cook Cup has not been contested.
The Cook Cup was renamed the Ella-Mobbs Trophy from the July 2022 series.[1]
Since 1909, England and Australia have played each other 55 times. England lead the series by 28 wins to 26, with one match drawn.
Summary
Overall
Details | Played | Won by Australia |
Won by England |
Drawn | Australia points | England points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
In England | 29 | 11 | 17 | 1 | 466 | 549 |
In Australia | 23 | 15 | 8 | 0 | 641 | 404 |
Neutral venue | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 48 | 77 |
Overall | 55 | 26 | 28 | 1 | 1,155 | 1,030 |
Records
Note: Date shown in brackets indicates when the record was last set.
Record | Australia | England |
---|---|---|
Longest winning streak | 4 (3 November 1984 – 5 November 1988) | 8 (11 June 2016 – 2 July 2022) |
Largest points for | ||
Home | 76 (6 June 1998) | 37 ((3 December 2016; 24 November 2018) |
Away | 33 (3 October 2015) | 44 (25 June 2016) |
Largest winning margin | ||
Home | 76 (6 June 1998) | 24 (18 November 2017) |
Away | 20 (3 October 2015) | 16 (18 June 2016) |
Neutral | 24 (19 October 2019) |
Results
List of series
Played | Won by Australia |
Won by England |
Drawn |
---|---|---|---|
6 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
Year | Australia | England | Series winner | Ella-Mobbs Trophy[a] |
---|---|---|---|---|
1975 | 2 | 0 | Australia | N/A |
1988 | 2 | 0 | Australia | |
2006 | 2 | 0 | Australia | |
2010 | 1 | 1 | draw | |
2016 | 0 | 3 | England | |
2022 | 1 | 2 | England |
Notes
References
- ^ "Wallabies legend Mark Ella backs the change to have Cook Cup renamed in his honour". MSN. Retrieved 2 July 2022.