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By Tom Jeffreys
England……………… 59 (35)Tries: Earl 10, Underhill 14, George 24, 31, Sleightholme 37, Furbank 53, Cowan-Dickie 60, 65, Roebuck 68Conversions: M. Smith 11, 15, 24, 32, 38, 66, 69Penalties:
Japan…………. 14 (7)Tries: Saito 34, Himeno 62Conversions: Saito 35, Matsunaga 63Penalties:
Report
After two years and 28 video games within the job, Steve Borthwick’s England have solely registered three wins towards what might be thought-about prime class opposition – twice vs Argentina in 2023 and as soon as towards Eire this yr.
At the moment’s victory ends a five-game dropping streak and takes his win charge to 50%, however accompanied by wins vs Italy (x2), Wales (x3), Chile, Samoa, Fiji, and two extra vs Japan, England have a totally justified tag as flat monitor bullies.
Given the distress of their autumn thus far, it felt as if a optimistic consequence from this recreation was unimaginable given the calibre of their opponent.
The capability for catastrophe was far better however this was effectively prevented, England scoring 35 first half factors todispel the potential of a comeback, even contemplating their second half vulnerability this yr.
Positivity was evident for many who wish to see it: England scored a superb combination of set piece and phase-play tries, and their bench was ultimately impactful with fringe gamers going effectively; Fin Smith appeared comfy enjoying phases, Asher Opoku-Fordjour received scrum penalties, Tom Roebuck scored and assisted and Tommy Freeman lastly received a run out at 13.
Finally, nonetheless, the great end result doesn’t change the decision of England’s yr. Their six nations opens in brutal trend with Eire away and France and Scotland at house looming ominously.
England have proved they will execute a recreation plan, however with a persistently leaky blitz defence, a lot harder prospects await.
First Half
Reflecting on the yr, and relying in your perspective, Ben Earl’s opener was both probably the most pleasing or irritating of England’s tries. Working the identical lineout prototype transfer that has faltered so ceaselessly this yr, Slade took a lineout ball to the road, threw it out again of Earl to Smith, who put Ollie Lawrence by means of a niche, Earl then ready gratefully on Lawrence’s inside to attain.
The second got here simply 4 minutes later when Sam Underhill once more typified a season of frustration the place he exemplified his a lot improved carrying to haul two Japanese defenders over the road and rating, however injured himself within the act, earlier than two Jamie George maul tries adopted – England’s first maul tries this Autumn regardless of their self-advertisement as a set piece workforce.
LONDON, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 24: Sam Underhill of England scores his sides second strive in the course of the Autumn Nations Collection 2024 match between England and Japan at Allianz Stadium on November 24, 2024 in London, United Kingdom. (Picture by Craig Mercer/MB Media/Getty Pictures)
That confusion of feelings carried by means of to the tip of the half, as England’s blitz was effectively overwhelmed for Japan’s opener, scrum-half Naoto Saito ending off Dylan Riley’s clear break within the exterior channels.
That strive got here simply a few minutes earlier than Ollie Sleightholme scored England’s fifth, and his fourth in 5 video games, the speedster exemplifying his revered kicking abilities to complete a transfer that was arrange byan outrageous Will Stuart skip move.
Second Half
Extra magic got here within the second half, Tommy Freeman igniting a stale affair with an outrageous out the again offload having gathered a Slade grubber to help George Furbank.
It was Furbank’s final involvement earlier than being changed by Fin Smith, with Asher Opoku-Fordjour additionally becoming a member of him for his debut.
It was a baptism of fireplace for the 20-year-old Sale Sharks prop, three consecutive scrums welcoming him to the worldwide area, however the subsequent strive got here from a lineout as alternative hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie bulldozed his manner over from the again of a collapsed maul.
Cowan-Dickie quickly bundled over for his second, profiting off a tempo Tom Roebuck break, and the alternative winger was quickly in a position to recover from the road himself, pacing spherical the surface of Japan’s defence after Kazuki Himeno completed off a pleasant passage of offloading for Japan’s second.
In that hat trick of Sale Sharks tries maybe got here these tough-to-find English positives. Roebuck confirmed true fuel to arrange Cowan-Dickie’s second and rating his off the again of a superb Fin Smith cross discipline kick, each of them following good scrum platform earned by Fin Baxter and Asher Opoku Fordjour. The nucleus is there, the large recreation mentality is pending.
Author : rugby365
Publish date : 2024-11-24 18:47:16
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