• England recover 12-point deficit in draw with Australian Barbarians
• Mears, Ward-Smith and Banahan register tries in opening tour game

Australian Barbarians 28 England 28

England secured a draw from their opening tour match against the Australian Barbarians after staging a late comeback with tries from Dan Ward-Smith and Matt Banahan.

The home side's teenage full back James O’Connor had earlier raced in for a hat-trick of tries and scored all the points as the hosts opened a 25-13 lead.

England made a promising start but had O’Connor not been replaced early – having done everything possible to win the Wallaby full back jersey for Saturday’s Test – then the outcome could have been very different.

London Wasps No.8 Ward-Smith and Bath Rugby wing Banahan followed up Lee Mears’ (Bath Rugby) first-half try and 13 points from Olly Barkley (Bath Rugby) edged England back into a 28-25 lead with six minutes remaining.

Berrick Barnes drew the scores level with a penalty immediately after Banahan’s try and the fly half could have clinched victory for the Barbarians had his long-range effort with the last kick of the game not dropped wide.

O’Connor played his way into contention for the first Test at Subiaco Oval and England Team Manager Martin Johnson has much to ponder before Saturday’s game.

While England were not fluent in attack at all times, uncapped duo Ward-Smith and Leeds flanker Hendre Fourie both produced impressive senior debuts and Banahan had his moments.

Sale Sharks fly half Charlie Hodgson and centre Barkley gave England the early momentum and the Bath man pushed England into a 6-0 lead on the back of some solid defence, which earned five early turnovers, and lively counter-attacking.

But the Barbarians began to tick and England were saved when Nick Cummins, on the overlap, dropped a simple pass from O’Connor – but it was a warning sign.

Fourie produced a brilliant try-saving tackle after another jinking run from Barnes and it was only a matter of time before the Barbarians breached England’s whitewash.

After a powerful run from hooker Hiua Edmunds, the ball was spread right and O’Connor managed to hold off Barkley and Ugo Monye (Harlequins) to score.

The Barbarians continued to cause trouble on the outside before O’Connor spotted a mismatch in England’s defensive line and sliced past David Flatman (Bath Rugby) and Mears to score his second try.

Mears burrowed over for England opener

Barkley missed a simple penalty but England soon worked a reply, with Mears burrowing over from short-range after some good build-up work.

England had failed to get their lineout drive moving but Sale Sharks centre Mathew Tait’s slippery run broke the Barbarians line and Mears drove over from short-range.

However, the Barbarians hit back as O’Connor extended their lead with a second penalty just before the interval.

England sent on London Wasps back row Joe Worsley at half-time in place of Fourie, who appeared to suffer a knee injury shortly before the interval.

It took Australia three minutes to resume normal service. Josh Valentine attacked left where the Barbarians had a two-man overlap and the scrum half dabbed a delightful kick in behind Banahan for O’Connor to score.

The Western Force 19-year-old, playing on his home ground, landed the touchline conversion and was then replaced – presumably with Saturday’s first Test in mind.

Barkley slotted a second penalty as England began to forge a comeback. The England pack produced a series of powerful scrums five metres from the Barbarians’ line.

Referee Stuart Dickinson yellow-carded the tighthead prop Laurie Weeks and although he did not award England a penalty try, Ward-Smith was able to charge over from close-range.

Northampton Saints' Shane Geraghty came on the inject some spark into England’s attacking game and his bold pass over the top sent Leicester Tigers lock Geoff Parling away on a charging run.

Geraghty then spread the ball wide right and fellow replacement Dominick Waldouck (London Wasps) sent Banahan over in the corner.

But England conceded a penalty immediately from the restart as Barnes drew the scores level. Barnes was given a chance to win the game with the last kick of the match but his long-range effort dropped wide.

Australian Barbarians vs England teams

Australian Barbarians: O'Connor; Cummins, Chambers, A Faingaa, Turner; Barnes, Valentine; Hoiles, Hodgson, McCalman, Chisholm, Chapman, Weeks, Edmonds, Cowan.

Replacements: Fitzpatrick, Slipper, Douglas, McCutcheon, Burgess, Beale, Hynes

England: D Armitage; Banahan, Tait, Barkley, Monye; C Hodgson, Wigglesworth; Flatman, Mears, Wilson, Parling, Palmer, Robshaw, Fourie, Ward-Smith.

Replacements: Chuter, Doran-Jones, Lawes, Worsley, P Hodgson, Geraghty, Waldouck.

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