England Beats Australia 45-22 as Youngster Converts on the Wing
Henry Pollock scored two tries in two minutes after coming off the bench to replace an injured starter, helping secure a record victory for the home side.
By Pedro Barnes ·
England defeated Australia 45-22 at Twickenham on Sunday to post its highest point total against the Wallabies in history.
The victory concludes a four-game stretch in the inaugural Nations Championship in which the English side won three matches. The result also resolved pre-match reports of internal conflict within the squad, giving coach Steve Borthwick a tangible win on the scoreboard. England now sits in second place in the Northern Hemisphere standings.
Henry Pollock, a 21-year-old back-row forward, entered the game at halftime as a substitute for the injured Immanuel Feyi-Waboso. Pollock scored two tries in consecutive minutes, in the 55th and 57th, to finish with eight tries in just 14 test appearances. He described the change in position as a challenge he welcomed, noting that he has played on the wing for his club, Northampton.
The first half saw England build a 10-7 lead before Max Jorgensen of Australia scored an interception try from inside his own half to make the score 19-10 at the break. Hooker Jamie George scored the opening try for England, moving his career total to 18 and becoming the most prolific try-scoring England forward in test history. Ollie Chessum and Joe Heyes also crossed for the home side before the halftime whistle.
Jack van Poortvliet, who had been responsible for the errant pass leading to Jorgensen’s try, scored his own try early in the second half. Pollock set up that score with a surge down the left wing before crossing twice on the right flank. The final try of the match came from Ben Spencer in the 76th minute, while Filipo Daugunu and Jeremy Williams added points for Australia.
Feyi-Waboso exited the match after Angus Bell of Australia received a 10-minute sin-bin penalty for a hip-drop tackle in the first 10 minutes. England will host Japan and New Zealand in the next two weekends, followed by the playoff finals at Twickenham from November 27 to 29.
Australia, currently third in the Southern Hemisphere standings behind South Africa and New Zealand, faces Scotland and Wales in its upcoming fixtures. The Springboks and All Blacks lead their respective hemisphere rankings ahead of the final stages of the tournament.
