England edge Sydney thriller to seal historic series whitewash over Australia

Cook Cup winners England outlasted Australia 44-40 in a dramatic, high-scoring third Test match to inflict a humiliating whitewash on their old rivals at Sydney's Allianz Stadium. Eddie Jones' vastly improved side, who ended their 13-year wait for a Six Nations Grand Slam title in March, had never previously won a series Down Under but already ensured a successful tour with consecutive victories in Brisbane and Melbourne.

The visitors drew first blood shortly after the 10-minute mark when prop Dan Cole, whose scrummaging technique was the subject of criticism from Australian World Cup-winning coach Bob Dwyer earlier in the series, bundled over the line from close range. They were pegged back soon after when the Television Match Official (TMO) deemed that Israel Folau had not knocked on in the build-up to Bernard Foley's try.

The Wallabies then grabbed the initiative when Dane Haylett-Petty touched down in the corner and the two teams exchanged penalties through Owen Farrell and Foley before Mike Brown put his side back in front after seizing on a kick from Anthony Watson.

Foley missed his next effort from the tee but made no mistake with the last kick of the half to give Australia a narrow advantage. The tries just kept on flowing after the break and England struck first again as Billy Vunipola wheeled away from the base of the scrum to charge through. Farrell missed the conversion but extended the lead to seven points with a penalty.

Michael Hooper's converted try erased that latest lead, while the Wallabies got themselves back in front when influential Leicester Tigers-bound centre Matt Toomua, recalled to the side after a knee problem, broke an attempted tackle from Billy Vunipola and sold a nice dummy to tee up Folau for the score.

England's next reply came through an unlikely source. As they tried unsuccessfully to break the Australian defence down the right flank, they recycled the ball inside and replacement hooker Jamie George inadvertently bobbled it through with his shin before applying the necessary pressure. A booming long-range penalty from a tricky angle was a testament to Farrell's composure, but the difference was soon cut to six when Mike Brown was whistled for not releasing at the breakdown and Foley landed an easy kick.

Australia still appeared hopeful of avoiding that clean sweep, only for the remarkably consistent Farrell to put the match beyond reach with yet another successful kick after Nick Phipps was adjudged guilty by referee Nigel Owens of playing Danny Care at a ruck. The Wallabies grabbed a late consolation when Phipps fired out wide for Taqele Naiyaravoro to burrow over.

Earlier in the day, reigning world champions New Zealand ran in six tries to wrap up their own 3-0 whitewash against Wales in Dunedin. Ben Smith, George Moala, Beauden Barrett, Dane Coles and Israel Dagg all scored for the formidable All Blacks in a typically dominant 46-6 thrashing. Scotland also saw off a resilient Japan 21-16 in Tokyo to win their series 2-0, while Ireland face a nervy decider against South Africa in Port Elizabeth later on.