England responded to a week of intense scrutiny and rumors of internal friction by securing a commanding 45-22 victory over Australia at Twickenham. The display served as a powerful statement of intent, effectively easing the growing pressure on head coach Steve Borthwick following reports of a rift within the squad dating back to their summer campaign in Argentina. The South Africa hooker was scathing of England’s back-slapping and celebrating of in-game wins, after scraping past Steve Borthwick’s side in the 2023 Rugby World Cup semi-final. That a team’s pilot light is on and burning bright, it is the body language that shows mindset and intent. Earl, inevitably, was one outlet, loudly celebrating a third-minute scrum success. The decision not to remove him immediately and minimise the damage may be one they regret when the prognosis lands, after Feyi-Waboso’s absence from the entirety of England’s Six Nations campaign. Power and unpredictability as much as they could, feeding him on a dart off the blindside wing from one promising line-out position, england looked to his pace.
While internal sources had dismissed those rumors as mere speculation, the team chose to provide their answer on the pitch. By then, it had already become something of a meme. But, while it isn’t the diesel grunt that can win matches on its own, “plastic energy” is still something.
The result against the Wallabies marked a significant improvement over their last outing at the venue, a disappointing 42-21 loss to Ireland in February. They said, than the transparent honesty of a team where input is valued and improvement is the lodestar, nothing more to see. Disjointed, underpowered performance – like that in their most-recent visit to Twickenham, February’s 42-21 defeat by Ireland – would dial up the pressure on Borthwick another notch, another misfiring.
The squad demonstrated a refreshed mindset, characterized by visible unity and a collective energy that resonated with the 81,334 spectators in attendance.
The victory was built on a foundation of defensive physicality and tactical ambition. Players like Ben Curry set an aggressive tone with crucial tackles, while the attacking backline showed newfound confidence. George Furbank, making a long-awaited return to the starting XV, played a pivotal role in orchestrating the attack, particularly during his involvement in Jack van Poortvliet’s try. Back row Ben Earl pumping his fist to celebrate Ireland’s crooked line-out throw in a pre-tournament warm-up was a particular source of online mockery. Jamie George bellowing into the stands after the opening score; captain Maro Itoje being surrounded with congratulations after an early charge-down; Henry Slade being embraced after a lung-busting late try-saving tackle on Max Jorgensen. Instead, his fired-up players turned up. Breakdown bravery and crunching physicality, there was gainline physicality. Ben Curry leaping out of the line to land a big hit on fly-half Declan Meredith was satisfyingly old school. Throw a final pass and back ability, rather than take a safe option, there was a different sort of bravery – the one that dares to chance the arm.
Immanuel Feyi-Waboso was the standout performer during his time on the field, racking up 113 meters from eight carries and beating seven defenders in just 32 minutes of active play. Expectation crackled around the stands, every time the 23-year-old touched the ball. In 40 minutes of rugby, Feyi-Waboso made 113m from eight carries, beating seven defenders. All those figures were unmatched by any other England player despite the fact that Feyi-Waboso came off at the break and only played 32 minutes uninjured.
His first-half performance proved electric, yet his evening ended prematurely after he suffered an ankle injury under the weight of Wallabies prop Angus Bell.
His loss is a major concern, as he was forced to watch the remainder of the game from the sidelines in a protective boot.
Reflecting on the performance, Borthwick expressed pride in his group, specifically praising the balance between the experienced core and the developing players under 25. He emphasized the squad’s resilience in overcoming recent setbacks and described their working relationship as a genuine pleasure. That’s what Bongi Mbonambi described it as.
The match was further marked by a cleaner disciplinary record for England, who conceded only seven penalties and avoided being shown a card throughout the contest. This technical improvement, coupled with the impact of a strong bench—including a late-game appearance by the experienced Lions front row of Ellis Genge, Luke Cowan-Dickie, and Will Stuart—allowed England to maintain control until the final whistle.
For Australia, the defeat reflects a difficult period, compounded by ongoing tensions regarding a pay dispute with Rugby Australia. The visitors struggled to match England’s intensity throughout the 80 minutes, leaving them with significant work to do before their upcoming fixtures.
While young talent Henry Pollock provided a late spark with two quick tries off the bench, the immediate focus for the coaching staff remains on the fitness of Feyi-Waboso and Seb Atkinson. With a challenging encounter against a rejuvenated New Zealand side scheduled for a fortnight, England will look to carry the momentum from this win forward as they continue to build consistency under Borthwick. Coming agonisingly close to derailing the Springboks, england had it under Borthwick at the Stade de France three years ago.
