England beat Australia 45-22 as Immanuel Feyi-Waboso burns bright
Energy and force set the tone
England celebrated key moments throughout the match, from Jamie George’s reaction to the opening score to the congratulations surrounding Maro Itoje after an early charge-down. Henry Slade also received an embrace after a late tackle stopped Max Jorgensen.
Ben Curry’s forceful hit on Australia fly-half Declan Meredith added a traditional edge. The win followed a report in The Times that a rift between the players and Borthwick had opened in Argentina in July, at the end of the summer campaign. England had promised to respond on the pitch.
Feyi-Waboso makes his mark
The 23-year-old wing brought pace and unpredictability to England’s attack. In the first half, he gained 113 metres from eight carries and beat seven defenders, drawing strong anticipation from the crowd whenever he had the ball.
His match ended after his ankle was caught beneath Australia prop Angus Bell. Feyi-Waboso watched the rest of the game from the sidelines in a protective boot, leaving his fitness a concern for England.
Furbank and Pollock shine
George Furbank made his first Test appearance in nearly two years and helped create Jack van Poortvliet’s try. He drew in defenders with a run and dummy before delivering an offload.
Henry Pollock came on and scored twice in a brief spell on the wing. England’s bench also brought on Ellis Genge, Luke Cowan-Dickie and Will Stuart, an all-Lions front row that helped maintain the pressure.
New Zealand next challenge
England’s performance included contributions from both younger players and more experienced members of the squad. Borthwick described the group as wonderful and said players aged 25 and under were developing into Test players alongside older teammates.
New Zealand, rejuvenated under new coach Dave Rennie, will provide a more formidable test in a fortnight. The fitness of Feyi-Waboso and Seb Atkinson will be among Borthwick’s main concerns.
Key points
- England beat Australia 45-22 on Sunday.
- Immanuel Feyi-Waboso made 113 metres and beat seven defenders before an ankle injury.
- Henry Pollock scored twice after coming off the bench.
- England face New Zealand in a fortnight.