While England's superior scrum the key feature in the home side's game as expected, Chris Ashton touched down twice as the backs continued where they left off in last week's spirited loss against New Zealand to leave Australia's vaunted backs constantly guessing.

While Australia's James O'Connor struggled with the boot, Toby Flood kicked 25 points in a performance in which he, man-of-the-match Ben Youngs and Ben Foden constantly looked to attack.

But Kurtley Beale also touched down twice as gaps in the tired England line allowed Australia to reduce the gap from 26-6, and the game could have been hugely different had O'Connor not missed three first-half penalties awarded for infringements at the breakdown and scrum.

But England dominated with Ashton the finisher, racing the length of the field for his second try to take his tally to three in two games against the Wallabies and deny Australia a third straight win at Twickenham.

The highlight of the game came after a 47th-minute turnover on England's own tryline and good carrying by Courtney Lawes. Ashton looked to have missed his chance to score when he cut infield on halfway to avoid Drew Mitchell. But the former rugby league international accelerated past the Australia wing to score one of the best tries by any side in recent years at Twickenham.

That made it 26-6 with Giteau off the field for a yellow card and, although Beale then scored a smart solo try with England temporarily down to 14 men because of an injury to Youngs, Flood kept up what would be a perfect kicking performance to maintain the pressure.

After almost an hour in which England cut out the missed tackles that handed the All Blacks time and space in their 26-16 win, gaps appeared as fatigue and the replacement of Youngs and center Mike Tindall told.

Beale touched down again following a slick but straightforward wide shift of the ball but O'Connor missed the conversion, and Flood pushed the gap back up to 14 points with another kick after Mark Cueto was held up just short of the tryline.

Flood finished with seven penalties and two conversions in England's first home win over a southern hemisphere powerhouse since a 23-21 triumph over South Africa in November 2006.