England delivered a stunning performance to silence critics and ease the pressure on head coach Steve Borthwick, scoring seven tries in a dominant 45-21 victory over Australia at Allianz Stadium on Sunday.

A Statement of Intent

In the build-up to the match, questions swirled around England's form, which had been poor for most of 2026, and reports of a rift between players and coaching staff during the summer. But the squad responded emphatically, insisting they were united, and their performance on the pitch was the perfect riposte.

From the opening whistle, England played with determination, physicality, and no small amount of flair. It was their most complete display of the year by a wide margin, and the home crowd lapped it up, serenading their team with 'Swing Low' in the final quarter.

Early Promise Rewarded

England thought they had opened the scoring inside two minutes when Immanuel Feyi-Waboso crossed under the posts, but the try was chalked off for a forward pass in the build-up. The hosts didn't have to wait long, though. On eight minutes, after Australia were penalised for obstruction, England kicked to the corner and their driven maul powered over the line, with Jamie George touching down.

Australia were loose and lacklustre, and England took full advantage. Feyi-Waboso, returning from injury, was a constant threat with his electric pace and evasion. His break set up England's second try, finished by Ollie Chessum after slick handling from Henry Slade and George Furbank.

When Australia prop Angus Bell was yellow-carded for a hip-drop tackle on Feyi-Waboso, England capitalised immediately. Joe Heyes broke off the side of a maul to stretch the lead to 19-3 after just over half an hour.

Half-Time Blip

However, on the stroke of half-time, Max Jorgensen intercepted a Jack van Poortvliet pass and raced away to score under the posts, evoking memories of Australia's late win in 2024. With Feyi-Waboso not returning after the break and England's lead cut to nine points, there was a sense of unease.

Second-Half Surge

But England quickly reasserted control after the restart. A beautifully crafted try, featuring Furbank's incisive run and offload, Freeman's inside pass, and Van Poortvliet's support line, restored the cushion. Then Henry Pollock, on as a replacement for Feyi-Waboso, scored two quick tries to put the result beyond doubt. His first came from a loose ball, and his second showcased his pace after a sweeping move involving Smith, Freeman, and Furbank.

Australia managed late tries from Filipo Daugunu and Jeremy Williams, but the gap in class was glaring. Wallabies boss Les Kiss, watching from the coaches' box, looked furious, and with a home World Cup less than a year away, he has much to fix.

Concerns Remain

For Borthwick, there are injury concerns over centre Seb Atkinson, who left the field with a leg problem, and Feyi-Waboso, who was seen in a protective boot at full-time. But those worries will be tempered by a performance that suggests England are heading in the right direction. Ben Spencer rounded off the scoring with an intercept try, his first in Test rugby.

England will face a sterner test when New Zealand arrive in a fortnight, but for now, Borthwick can breathe a little easier. His team answered their critics in the best possible way: with a statement win.