England player ratings vs Japan as trio get 5/10 despite thumping win | Rugby | Sport
England got back to winning ways and alleviated some pressure on under-fire head coach Steve Borthwick by scoring nine tries to thrash Eddie Jones‘ Japan 59-14 at Twickenham on Sunday evening.
England snapped a five-match losing streak in the process as they ended the Autumn Nations Series on more of a positive note after losing to New Zealand, Australia and South Africa before this.
They started strong and scored five first-half tries through Ben Earl, Sam Underhill, a Jamie George double and Ollie Sleightholme.
While Japan scrum-half Naoto Saito pulled one back for Japan, a George Furbank try helped restore a healthy advantage thanks to a brilliant offload from Tommy Freeman.
Hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie, who replaced captain George at half-time, then scored two second-half tries before Tom Roebuck capped off the rout.
Express Sport rates and slates the England players…
England player ratings vs Japan
George Furbank – Back to spark England’s attack but caught out biting in for Japan’s opening score 5
Tommy Freeman – Great in the air when England kick and ridiculous out of the back pass for Furbank score 6
Ollie Lawrence – Finally started making dents in midfield after quiet time last three games and needs ball in hand more 7
Henry Slade – Couple of great passes and left boot great option but defensive organisation still shaky 6
Ollie Sleightholme – Sharp shooter scored fourth in three games and could be a fixture in side come February 8
Marcus Smith – Great on front foot but some questionable kicking options before moving to 15 in second half 6
Jack van Poortvliet – Knock on cost Tommy Freeman a Test try and finding his way back after injury 5
Ellis Genge – Gave the Japanese scrum the hurry up and carried well before being subbed in second half 6
Jamie George (capt) – Perfect captain and front man for this team and deserved scores after torrid November 7
Will Stuart – Superb long pass that helped make Sleightholme’s first half score, in the team to scrum and did 7
Maro Itoje – Not quite matched his sky high standards this November but still England’s only world class player 7
George Martin – Quiet this autumn for a man touted as the next Martin Johnson and didn’t make mark 6
Tom Curry – Shouldn’t have been playing after recent concussions but somehow went the distance. Needs a week off 6
Sam Underhill – Best player last week against South Africa but only lasted 14 minutes after being injured scoring 6
Ben Earl – Cut a great line to open the scoring for England and lively for the whole 80 7
Replacements
L.Cowan-Dickie 7 (for George 48), F.Baxter 6 (for Genge 53), A.Opoku-Fordjour 6 (for Stuart 54), N.Isiekwe 4 (for Martin 67), C.Cunningham-South 6 (for Underhill 15), H.Randall 6 (for Van Poortvliet 48), F.Smith 7 (for Furbank 54), T.Roebuck 6 (for Slade 61)
Ref: Craig Evans (WAL)
Scorers
England: Tries: Earl, Underhill, George (2), Sleightholme, Furbank, Cowan-Dickie (2), Roebuck; Cons: Smith (7)
Japan: Tries: Saito, Himeno; Cons: Saito, Matsunaga
