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Tom Hamilton, Senior Writer
England’s win over Japan means everything and nothing. It was one of those nasty tightrope matches for Steve Borthwick’s side where they were 1/250 to triumph with certain bookmakers. Win? Expected. Defeat? Disaster. So while this was an impressive performance and a resounding 59-14 victory, it was against an inexperienced Japan side, one England stuck 52 points on in June.
But this will mean everything to Borthwick and England, and we got to appreciate Tommy Freeman’s incredible assist for George Furbank’s second-half score (more on that later). This victory snapped their five-match losing run and adds some gloss to a disappointing November after they fell to the All Blacks, Australia and South Africa. As Storm Bert caused havoc in the UK, this match could yet signal a wind of change for England’s fortunes and a springboard to take into the Six Nations. But amid the blustery conditions and the wind and the rain, this was a match with caveats but no room for excuses.
The clash also came with the subplot of it being Eddie Jones’ return to Twickenham. But you wouldn’t know it. He’s ducked media duties this week, and barely appeared on the stadium screen during the match. It was like he was being erased from the narrative. But in the shadows, Jones would have stuck a gigantic ring around this fixture, no doubt eager to bloody the nose of the organisation who sacked him in December 2022.
Despite his absence from public sight, he still featured heavily in the talk around the match over the past week, a fear in some quarters that he had a plan up his sleeve for England.
But in the end it played to script. England outmuscled Japan in the first half, Jamie George scoring two tries off the back of rolling mauls, while they were able to use their physicality to punch holes in Japan’s defence. Ollie Lawrence powered through Japan’s paper-thin defence to stick Ben Earl under the posts after nine minutes, Sam Underhill then crashed over five minutes later. Unfortunately for Underhill, in a match which looked tailormade for him, that was his final act as he left with injury.
George scored the first of his two after 22 minutes, Tommy Freeman then had one ruled out for a Jack van Poortvliet knock-on, George grabbed another in the 31 minute and then Ollie Sleightholme scored a delightful effort, as Will Stuart’s pass found Chandler Cunningham-South who flung it to Sleightholme who nudged the ball past Japan’s on-rushing defence to dot down. But the best effort in the first half was from Japan — where Dylan Riley’s break put captain Naoto Saito away, and he danced past Marcus Smith to score.
The second half saw Japan start the better, but after 52 minutes came the moment of the match and a highlight reel. Henry Slade took the ball just outside Japan’s 22, kicked through, and Freeman caught the ball near the touchline, but flung the ball behind his back to George Furbank to dot down. Each time the replay was shown on the screen, it brought the oohs and aahs of appreciation from the crowd.
It is the sort of moment that youngsters will try on school playgrounds on Monday, and the perfect snapshot of what Borthwick is trying to get this England team to depict.
Luke Cowan-Dickie grabbed two tries while Tom Roebuck scored after he finished off brilliantly from a pinpoint Fin Smith crosskick. Kazuki Himeno scored for Japan, but overall this was a satisfactory afternoon for Borthwick.
But the question of how significant this victory is will only be determined in time. In the short-term, this brings some relief as it ends the losing run; it also manifests confidence, but still you come away from this autumn thinking more about the near-misses than you do this commanding victory. That’s the standards this group want to be judged by.
England came so close to this being a three-out-of-four autumn, given how the New Zealand and Australia matches finished but the statement victory eluded them. Yes this was comfortable against Japan, but given their inexperience and recent form, the win lacks the same gravitas as a triumph over the All Blacks or Springboks would. One-out-of-four is suboptimal, but today was about getting the job done and in style. Nothing else would’ve been acceptable.
Sleightholme impressed, while the hooker duo George and Cowan-Dickie were superb. Slade was also assured at inside centre and his partnership with Lawrence looked more potent than it has previously done.
But overall, the true significance of today will only be judged in time. England face Ireland away and France at home to start the Six Nations. Win those, and England are back on track, and this will be seen as the foundational moment for their resurgence. But only in time will we know if they are on an upwards trajectory.
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