England had promised to do their talking on the field and so it came to pass. After a turbulent few days, this result was certainly a more than decent response to newspaper reports that all is not well within the court of Steve Borthwick. If Australia had imagined they might encounter distracted, half-hearted hosts, this seven-try romp suggested the precise opposite.
Maybe Borthwick should commission the Times to write his motivational pre-match speeches every week. On this evidence the Wallabies have some major issues to address but, equally, England were comfortably the better, more energetic side. There is still work to do, of course, but this record number of points against Australia was easily their most satisfying all-round outing of the calendar year to date.
Their three defining D’s – defence, discipline and desire – were conspicuous throughout and, at long last, they are also starting to trust their exciting attacking talent out wide. In the first half Manny Feyi-Waboso was a constant menace and when he failed to reappear for the second half England were able to whistle up the irrepressible Henry Pollock, who duly contributed two tries to justify his selection as a replacement winger.
There were also deserving first-half scores for the hard-working Jamie George, Ollie Chessum and Joe Heyes, while Jack van Poortvliet also made it on to the scoresheet shortly after half-time to atone for the interception pass that gifted the Wallabies a try just before the interval. If England can maintain this sort of strike rate against Japan and New Zealand over the next two Saturdays they may yet have a chance of featuring in the final of the Nations Championship on home turf at the end of the month.
At the very least this will give England the confidence boost they were seeking after the dismal Six Nations campaign that placed Borthwick’s regime under pressure. Here they were on it from the outset, despite having a potential scything try by Feyi-Waboso in just the second minute scuppered by the identification of a clear forward pass by Ben Curry in the buildup. The respite for Australia was only temporary, though, a prolonged lineout drive ending with a clearly pumped-up George at the bottom of the heap.
While the Wallabies did manage three points of their own when England were caught offside in midfield, the game was mostly being played in their half. And whenever the ball went anywhere near Feyi-Waboso the contest assumed another dimension. It was no surprise, them, when another powerful surge by the Exeter wing created the momentum for England to spin the ball left and put a charging Chessum over in the corner.
During such passages England look a more than decent team but consistency has too often eluded them this year. Much of that has been a consequence of the multiple cards they have been receiving; surprise, surprise they fare rather better when they keep 15 players on the field.
Australia were about to be swiftly reminded of that same essential truth. Much has been said and written about the new clampdown on so-called knee drop and hip drop tackles but, in the heat of the moment, Angus Bell could not stop himself from illegally dragging down Feyi-Waboso. Barely had a yellow card been shown than England were over for their third try, Heyes finishing off another ominous rumbling maul.
At 19-3 down and reduced to 14 men it was hard to see the Wallabies finding a way back, hence England’s frustration when a telegraphed pass by Van Poortvliet was picked off by the lurking Max Jorgensen who sprinted half the length of the field to score. Ryan Lonergan’s conversion was the final act of a half in which the Wallabies had barely made it into the home 22.
The first 40 minutes also saw seven clean breaks by England compared to just one by their opponents and the enthusiasm of the white-shirted defence had been equally conspicuous. Would the loss of Feyi-Waboso at half-time, though, be another blow to their momentum? No was the answer as Pollock, newly deployed on the left wing, made decent yards with his first carry before England launched a searing attack on the opposite flank and Tommy Freeman threw a glorious long inside ball for Van Poortvliet to score.
At which point the 21-year-old Pollock decided it was time to start writing his own scripts. He was more than quick enough to beat the cover out wide for his first try after 54 minutes and within three minutes was again being mobbed by his teammates after a second electric burst to the line. It is unlikely to be the last time England fans see his now familiar ‘pulse check’ celebration.
The Wallabies did at least leave with a couple of consolation scores for Filipo Daugunu and Jeremy Williams but the final try went to Ben Spencer, who snaffled an interception of his own to complete the drubbing. One win does not completely change the world but it will make a huge difference to English self-belief.
