I'll break this into two parts:-
1) Wallabies
The only part that improved was the intensity. The rest remains shite. The fundamental skills are just not there to improve so we cannot expect that to actually get better in the space of a week. What is very disappointing is the lack of improvement the in the structures that they are using.
The defensive structures are leading to massive missed tackle counts because the structure is being easily beaten by opposition attacks targeting forwards in particular and the wings who are being brought in on a narrow pattern. It is very easy to be critical of the individuals in this but that would mean that historically very good tacklers have lost their individual skill set.
That follows onto a real area of concern, exit strategy, DHP is the only genuine Fullback in the team and has perhaps the biggest boot in the side (a kick off required with Hodge to determine) but he is never used in exit strategies, indeed he is never in a position to be used. Why bother selecting a second 15 on the wing if he never plays the position because Cooper or Foley are dropping out of the line to take that role? Would be better having a bus like Naiyavoro (sp) or somebody with out and out speed. Just the fundamental structures being used are a waste. Some people will say that the defensive structure and application was improved on last week. I would call that out simply on the fact that the Wallabies again missed over 30 tackles from one stat that was published. That is a failure at any pro level and is a repeated factor in the last 6 tests.
Attack - WTF does Larkham do? What is their intent in attack? Should we really be expecting something different, as the Brumbies had two parts of SFA in attack as well. I honestly don't think he has any idea at all and the political expediency of Chieka appointing him as an assistant with no real experience or success is being shown up.
Lineout - for mine Moore needs to be dropped from at least the starting side and possible the 23. The lineout improved when Mumm of all people replaced Fardy and TPN was throwing in FFS. Add to that Moore's run stats would have to be in the negative and as Captain every ref this year has just told him to go away. Also interesting that When Mumm was on there was only two lineout options, him and Douglas. So much for need 3.5 options to be able to compete as Mumm took each throw we had in that period. No one AB throw was under pressure in the entire game. Are the Wallaby coaching group up to doing the analysis and working out the ABs (or England) to at least put genuine pressure on them?
Scrum - as usual it is hard to call this area without a lot of footage, so I feel for the refs a little bit, but not much. The referees must slow down a bit themselves and look first at the set up, Franks (which we saw more footage of this side of the scrum on Fox) was binding on the arm of Sio quite often. If his name was Baxter he would have been in the bin. There is a pause between the set and the feed, look at the bind. If its not right call it up and re-set or at least penalise it when the scrum goes down. So many re-sets are being caused by both sides not setting correctly in the first place.
So in summary for the Wallabies, they tried hard with fundamentally flawed skills in passing and kicking with a flawed defensive system and no attack system. We could on this say that did well with what they had. I am reminded of General Melchard from Blackadder, "If all else fails at least we have the pigheaded refusal to face the facts and continue on." and the post match interviews about heart and belief in the group casts Chieka as the Stephan Fry character, does that make Larkham Captain Darling?