England eased the pressure on head coach Steve Borthwick with a convincing 45-22 victory over Australia at Twickenham on Sunday. The win, which showcased a vibrant and expressive performance, came at the end of a week where reports of a rift between players and coach had dominated the headlines.
Plastic Energy or Real Substance?
The term "plastic energy" was coined by South Africa hooker Bongi Mbonambi during the 2023 Rugby World Cup, poking fun at England's over-the-top celebrations. But against the Wallabies, that energy was evident from the start and seemed to fuel a genuine sense of purpose. From Ben Earl's early scrum celebration to Jamie George's passionate roar and Maro Itoje's charge-down, the body language spoke of a team united and intent on proving a point.
Full-back George Furbank, playing his first Test in nearly two years, epitomised the adventurous spirit with a sublime assist for Jack van Poortvliet's try, while Henry Slade and Seb Atkinson pulled the strings with precision. But it was Immanuel Feyi-Waboso who stole the show in the first half, making 113 metres from eight carries and beating seven defenders before an ankle injury forced him off at the break.
Feyi-Waboso's Injury Concern
The 23-year-old wing, who has endured a torrid run of injuries, was electric every time he touched the ball, and his absence for the remainder of the match cast a shadow over the victory. England will be sweating on his fitness ahead of next week's clash with Japan and potentially beyond. His injury, along with that of Seb Atkinson, will be chief among Borthwick's concerns.
Despite the setback, there were plenty of positives. England's discipline was improved, conceding only seven penalties and avoiding a card for just the second time this year. The breakdown was quick and clean, and the bench, featuring an all-Lions front row of Ellis Genge, Luke Cowan-Dickie and Will Stuart, maintained dominance. Henry Pollock, with his freshly peroxided hair, came on and scored two tries in a lively cameo.
Borthwick's Pride
"I am really proud," Borthwick told BBC Sport. "These players are a wonderful group. We have had bumps in the road. There are a number who are 25 and under who are developing great into Test match players and you have the older players. It is an interesting balance and they are working so well together. It's a pleasure to work with them."
Australia were desperately poor, their cause not helped by an ongoing pay dispute with Rugby Australia. But England can only beat what is in front of them, and they did so with style. The energy spread to the stands, with the vast majority of the 81,334 crowd won over by the display. It was a victory to savour at the end of a difficult week, and one that suggests Borthwick's men are moving in the right direction.
