Rugby: Sharples and Vunipola play in England defeat (From Gazette Series)

Charlie Sharples and Mako Vunipola play as England are beaten 20-14 by Australia in second autumn international

3:16pm Sunday 18th November 2012 in Sport

CHARLIE SHARPLES and Mako Vunipola were part of the England side that were beaten 20-14 by Australia in the second autumn international at Twickenham on Saturday.

Former Dursley youth player Sharples saw less of the ball than he did in his two-try performance against Fiji the previous week before the Gloucester winger was replaced by Mike Brown just after the hour mark.

Saracens prop Vunipola, who grew up in Thornbury, impressed once again with his power after coming off the bench for his second cap in the second half to press his claims for a start in the next test against South Africa.

A Manu Tuilagi try and three Toby Flood penalties saw England lead 14-11 at half time before full-back Berrick Barnes kicked three second half penalties to wrest back the Cook Cup for Australia.

England coach Stuart Lancaster said: "There were lots of positives from our performance but the reality is we needed to take the opportunities we created, especially in the last 20 minutes when we thought our tempo would pay."