TOKYO — Steve Borthwick’s England fly to New Zealand on Monday reflecting on a job well done over the last week and a half in Tokyo.
Barring Charlie Ewels’ red card, a yellow for Marcus Smith and 15 penalties conceded, every other box was ticked in their 52-17 win over Japan.
England scored eight tries, admittedly against a novice Japanese team, showing their attacking intent from the last two games of the Six Nations has been rekindled and their red zone efficiency was up to scratch.
And several players put in statement performances although the next Test, against the All Blacks in Dunedin on 6 July, will be a different prospect altogether. But this is a team on the up and England have not been able to say that for a while.
Chandler Cunningham-South, the Harlequins back row, looks like a ready-made replacement for Courtney Lawes as an all-court ball-carrying threat, line-out presence and big hitter.
Cunningham-South gained some notoriety during the Six Nations when it was revealed he did not know who Richard Hill, the England team manager and 2003 World Cup winner, was, but he knows now. And most people now know who Cunningham-South, just 21, is now.
No 8 Ben Earl played some minutes at inside centre, a move that had been floated for a while, and one which has fulfilled at Saracens, and would help Borthwick if he needs to have a six forwards with two backs split on the bench against New Zealand. He is no Ma’a Nonu, but the back row would give England useful options in the latter part of games.
Smith grabbed hold of the game when England were caught flat-footed by the fast start of the Japanese and it would be a brave coach who did not start him again in Dunedin. Finally, Smith, who was called into camp as an apprentice, whilst still a teenager, by Eddie Jones, was given licence to run the show. His try, and England’s second, was a snapshot of what England are trying to achieve in attack.
“That’s obviously the benefit of playing in this day and age, you’ve got all the camera angles, you’ve got loads of footage to go through,” Smith said.
“And the coach fed that opportunity to us and I guess the youthful excitement of the group – not me, but the younger lads – got excited about it and we repped that a lot this week.
“We focused meticulously on our running lines in order to turn defenders and give each other one-on-ones.
“There was a massive hole in front of me, so I was very lucky to get that ball and I enjoyed score under the posts.”
Smith has certainly served his time. Saturday was his 33rd cap, since his debut in 2021, and the first time he could feel really in charge from No 10.
“I’ve been in camp since I was 18. I’ve learned a lot off some brilliant players in every single position and I feel old now in this squad,” he added.
“I’m thoroughly enjoying it and that’s the key for me.
“If I enjoy myself, on and off the field, I can perform to the best of my ability for the team.”
It was all sweetness and light in the mixed zone at Tokyo’s National Stadium when the players walked through before heading to their hotel. Borthwick was the one to sound a note of caution.
“The performance level will need to rise when we face New Zealand in two weeks’ time,” he said.
“You can’t give that number of penalties away, we know that.
“You also can’t give New Zealand the space we gave Japan today but I expect our performance to go up a level.”
It will need to but England have made the first step.