England became the first host nation to be knocked out of the Rugby World Cup at the group stage after losing 33-13 to Australia on this day in 2015.
Stuart Lancaster’s side had gone into the tournament on home soil with plenty of ambition to reclaim the World Cup they had famously won for the first time Down Under in 2003.
But those hopes were crushed on a damning night at Twickenham as the Wallabies cruised to a 20-point win to send England crashing out at the earliest stage possible.
England were in danger of exiting the tournament a week after they twice squandered a 10-point lead against Wales to lose 28-25 in Pool A, making this game a must-win encounter.
Victory over the Welsh would have seen England through to the knockout stages but they lost that match and were then ultimately outclassed by Australia’s brilliance, including an excellent performance from fly-half Bernard Foley.
The two teams exchanged early penalties but the Australians soon turned the screw, Israel Folau flying over the whitewash in the 20th minute and then again five minutes before half-time, with Foley’s conversions giving the Wallabies a 17-3 lead.
Another Foley penalty pushed England further towards the exit door and although an Anthony Watson converted try and an Owen Farrell kick pulled it back to 20-13, Farrell’s loss to the sin-bin alongside two Foley penalties put Australia further in charge before Matt Giteau dived over to rub salt into English wounds.
England’s failure to reach the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time prompted Lancaster’s departure after a review just weeks later.
He said: “I ultimately accept and take responsibility for the team’s performance.”
After knocking England out, the Wallabies made it all the way to the final, but fell short of glory after they suffered a bruising 34-17 defeat to arch rivals New Zealand.
Root targets 'many more runs' as Cook backs England great to set all-time record
Joe Root is targeting "many more runs" after overtaking Alastair Cook as England's all-time leading Test run-scorer.
The 33-year-old surpassed Cook's previous high of 12,472 on day three of the first Test against Pakistan on Wednesday.
Root reached the mark by piling on 71 runs in the blistering Multan heat and reached 176 not out at the end of play with England 492-3.
"I'm obviously proud but still feel there is plenty more left to do, and many more runs left to get," Root is quoted as saying by BBC Sport.
"More than anything, the way we played as a team is what stands out - we've got ourselves back in a really good position."
Root's 12,578 runs consist of 35 centuries, 1,355 fours and 44 sixes, coming across 146 matches.
He is now fifth on the all-time list of run-scorers across all nations, with only Rahul Dravid (13,288), Jacques Kallis (13,289), Ricky Ponting (13,378) and Sachin Tendulkar (15,921) ahead of him.
And with time still on his side age-wise, Cook has backed the man who took his England record to overtake each of those legendary names.
"I would be betting on Root to do it," Cook told Test Match Special. "I don't see Root losing that hunger and ability to keep driving himself forward for the next couple of years.
"He's just this consistent run-scoring machine. There are other geniuses who can play genius innings, but Root is a genius with consistency."
England have never conceded as many as Pakistan's 556 and gone on to take a first-innings lead, but they trail by just 64 runs heading into day four.
"We've still got an opportunity to win the game, which is really exciting," Root added. "Hopefully we can kick on tomorrow."
England call up uncapped pair Jones and Livramento
England have called up uncapped pair Curtis Jones and Tino Livramento to their squad for this week's Nations League matches.
Liverpool midfielder Jones and Newcastle United full-back Livramento have both been part of the senior squad before without being used.
England confirmed the news on Wednesday and added Harry Kane is continuing his individualised programme, while Jack Grealish sat out of training with a knock.
Morgan Gibbs-White, Ezri Konsa and Kobbie Mainoo have each pulled out of the squad since it was announced after sustaining injuries over the weekend.
The Three Lions host Greece at Wembley on Thursday and then travel to Helsinki to face Finland three days later, with both fixtures coming in Group B2.
Jones is well known to interim England head coach Lee Carsley, with only two players having been used more under him for the Under-21s in the Three Lions squad for this week's fixtures.
The 23-year-old played 14 times at that level for England under Carsley, level with Anthony Gordon and behind Noni Madueke (19) and Angel Gomes (16).
He was included as part of Gareth Southgate's provisional 33-man squad for Euro 2024, a year on from scoring the winner in the Euro Under-21 Championship final, but did not make the final cut.
Livramento, meanwhile, was part of the squad for last month's victories over Republic of Ireland and Finland but did not receive his maiden cap.
The former Chelsea player has featured nine times for Newcastle this season and has helped his club side to three clean sheets, most recently in last weekend's 0-0 draw at Everton.
Duckett leads tributes to 'extremely humble' Root after making England history
Ben Duckett hailed "extremely humble" Joe Root after watching his team-mate become England's all-time leading Test run-scorer on day three against Pakistan.
Root needed 39 entering Wednesday's play in Multan to break Alastair Cook's record, and he surpassed that target with ease, ending the day unbeaten on 176 alongside Harry Brook.
In his 147th Test outing, Root drilled Aamir Jamal's delivery in the blistering heat to overtake Cook's previous record of 12,472 as England closed to within 64 runs of Pakistan on 492-3.
Duckett partnered Root for the historic moment and led the tributes at the end of play.
"He is extremely humble," Duckett, who recovered from a broken thumb to make 84, told Test Match Special. "It doesn't feel like you're sat around greatness.
"He's just hungry for runs every time he goes out bat for England. It's incredible to be in the same dressing room as him and long may it continue."
Root now has 12,578 runs in 146 matches, which has seen him bat in 268 innings in total, with his tally consisting of 35 centuries, 1,355 fours and 44 sixes.
The 33-year-old is up to fifth on the all-time list of run scorers across all nations, with only Rahul Dravid (13,288), Jacques Kallis (13,289), Ricky Ponting (13,378) and Sachin Tendulkar (15,921) ahead of him.
England batting coach Marcus Trescothick added to Sky Sports: "We're lucky enough to sit and watch history being made as a man goes on to be the leading run scorer in his country.
"The way he goes about it, the work he puts in and continues to strive for greatness all the time. He's been superb and think will continue to be superb for a number of years yet."
Amid all the fanfare for Root, England will enter day four looking to create some history of their own.
The tourists have never conceded as many as Pakistan's 556 and gone on to take a first-innings lead.
"The pitch is not doing a great deal at the moment and to be in a position where we can say we can get [a lead of] 150-200 is an incredible effort," Duckett added.
"The morning session will be important and if we can limit the damage, we can kick on in the afternoon."
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