A Relieved England beat World Cup pool opponents Australia in a display of forward domination and power on Saturday, coupled with intelligent back play.

This was a traditional English victory ground out by the pack, which took the Kangaroos set piece play apart and threw down a massive marker for when the two sides next meet.

This was still not the finished product though for coach Stuart Lancaster, who after the game highlighted the return of seven British Lions returning for the Six Nations. 

But Lancaster praised fly-half George Ford for his intelligent play-making: “We were smarter and the forwards created the platform for us to get the victory.”

And there was a big difference in the kicking game from Lancaster’s backs as they teased, probed and set their forwards up.

Playmaker Ford has made a huge difference to his team’s game management, cutting out the speculative attempts to play ball-in-hand from near the team’s own line.

Instead, Ford prefers the more intelligent approach of instantly summing up what is on or not and then passing or kicking. 

One teasing kick to Israel Folau was fumbled by the Aussie danger man, setting up an England scrum which led to Ben Morgan’s bullocking try.

Another smart Ford kick was taken by Ashley Quade Cooper, who was then scragged into touch by England’s chasers. 

The resulting scrum on the Wallabies five-metre line forced the visitors back and man-of-the-match Morgan again crossed the line for a second try.

Courtney Lawes put in an outstanding performance before going off midway into the second half, stretching his body into extraordinary try-saving tackles as well as bossing the line-out.

The Australian’s back line flickered and occasionally threatened the home side but the English defence was obdurate.

Aussie coach Michael Cheika was brutally honest about his team’s weakness at the set-piece and conceded that his side needed to improve if they are to compete with the northern hemisphere penchant for the scrum and driving maul.

England’s haul of two wins from four in the autumn series is the same as their next opponents, Wales, who they meet in February in a Six Nations tussle ahead of their Rugby World Cup pool match.

The two home sides are finally back on track for the cup and the collision in Wales is a mouthwatering prospect.