England player ratings vs Japan | Nations Championship 2026

England player ratings: England backed up their impressive victory over Australia last week with another commanding display on Saturday, beating Japan 78-15 at Twickenham’s Allianz Stadium.

From the first minute, Steve Borthwick’s side had total domination of the match, with the visitors immediately on the back foot following Harry Hockings’ 20-minute red card in the opening two minutes.

It is scarcely believable that the lock would have made any difference to the deluge of pressure the Brave Blossoms were under, as England looked like a cohesive unit ready to take any opportunity presented their way.

Eddie Jones’ side were 49-10 down at half-time and they didn’t prosper any better after they trudged out of the tunnel for the second half, as England continued to score at will, with Will Joseph racking up five tries in total.

Two from two from England in November, and two statement performances ahead of the All Blacks next week. Here’s how the players rated:

15 Freddie Steward – 8
George Furbank showed the creative spark that England want at full-back last week, but Steward showed that he is not lacking in that department either. His immaculately weighted grubber for Will Joseph to chase and score in the first quarter was as silky as any full-back in world rugby. He used a bit more heft to barge his way over for England’s third try and his wide pass for Cadan Murley to score England’s seventh was yet another sign of his improved distribution. England’s go-to man with kick-offs, chasing and retaining possession, he was used for contestables too, chasing and winning an aerial battle for England to score their fifth try.

14 Will Joseph – 9
What a return to Test rugby! In his first start for England, four years after his debut, the Gloucester star was on the scoresheet with his first touch of the match, spiralling and pirouetting his way to the line from 40 metres out. In truth, he should have been stopped, but he won’t complain. He had his second a few minutes later, chasing a grubber kick in the corner. His hat-trick came after just 20-minutes, taking advantage of England winning a contestable and running it in from 40 metres. Athletically leapt in the corner to bag his fourth before the half-hour mark. His fifth came from long range again, this time an interception. Just the record five tries for England and 226 metres carried…

13 Henry Slade – 8
Everything Slade is doing in an England shirt at the moment seems to look so easy, and at the same time so effective. Had the speed of thought and execution to put Joseph away for his hat-trick try after receiving the ball from Steward’s tap-back, then put the winger in for his fourth a few minutes later by drawing in two defenders before delivering a killer pass. Took over the kicking duties, but still had a miss in him.

12 Max Ojomoh – 8
Cut out two Japanese defenders to put Joseph in space for the opening try of the match, then made the half break which set up England’s second try. Linked well with George Ford for England’s sixth try for the wrap-around move that has served England so well so far this autumn. Showed his power as well, as he burst through the Japanese defence and came close to scoring himself in the second half, but set the platform for Ben Curry to sneak over.

11 Cadan Murley – 7
After seeing six tries rattled up with ease, four of which by his fellow winger, Murley eventually joined the action on the half-hour mark with a routine run-in in the corner. The game just went that way, with a lot of the action taking place anywhere but on his wing. Perhaps he could have come off his wing a bit more – he did at one point with a powerful carry in his own 22 – but he only made five carries in total.

10 George Ford – 6.5
In his 109th England appearance, Ford would have known he didn’t need to force anything. He didn’t, and the opportunities came with some neat passing and a kicking game that put Japan under a lot of pressure. There were some standout moments though – a 50:22 early in the second half kickstarted the onslaught. Missed six conversions, which may prove costly in tighter matches, which takes his rating down.

9 Jack van Poortvliet – 7.5
Delayed and timed his pass to perfection to put Ojomoh through a gap for England’s second try. Came close to producing an Antoine Dupont-esque grubber for Murley following a break, only for the kick to just go too long. Looks increasingly comfortable in England’s No.9 shirt, but tougher challenges, of course, await.

1 Ellis Genge – 8
Looked like the big kid at school playing against the year below. There was real venom in his carrying and defence during his 50 minutes on the field. Flattened all 110kg of Japan No.8 Jack Cornelsen on the way to the try line for England’s fourth try in a freakish display of strength. What’s more, it all started with Genge’s counter-rucking to win England possession a few minutes before.

2 Luke Cowan-Dickie – 6
England may have been 42-3 up at this point, but the way Cowan-Dickie held up his opposite man Mamoru Harada over the line showed a hunger in defence that will serve England well in tougher games. That said, he couldn’t stop Warner Dearns going over from a tap-and-go five metres out. Produced a textbook steal at the breakdown in the second half, but otherwise didn’t have many interventions of note. His match was ended with a yellow card. Lineout stuttered a bit as well.

3 Asher Opoku-Fordjour – 7
Made some punchy carries and hits in defence, although he would surely like to have another go at Dearns, as he couldn’t stop the Japanese lock, alongside Cowan-Dickie, from scoring in the first half. There weren’t many scrums for the 22-year-old to sink his teeth into, and any scrums that arose were uneventful.

4 Maro Itoje – 8
Produced a match-leading four turnovers and while these loose and free-flowing games aren’t exactly the England’s captain’s bread and butter, he himself played with more freedom, linking with the backs smoothly and distributing more than he usually would, making seven passes during his hour on the field. He even got an assist, putting his second-row colleague George Martin in with a pass from the base. Couldn’t stop Opeti Helu wrestling his way over for Japan’s second try in a collision he would usually expect to come out on top in.

5 George Martin – 8
Wasn’t exactly making clean breaks, but every carry seemed to make just that bit more than would be expected, which gave England plenty of front-foot ball. Hard to stop from close range, and he scored England’s first of the second half by putting his head down while just about managing to hold onto the ball.

6 Alex Coles – 7
Maybe not the kind of game for a workmanlike player like Coles, particularly as England seldom found themselves defending for huge swathes of time where his defensive engine could be put to good use. Then again, he may have wanted to have made more than just one carry and four tackles by half time,

7 Ben Earl – 7
Joined forces with Cowan-Dickie to hold Japan up over the line the first time England looked in trouble in the first half. Went over for England’s eighth try on the stroke of half time, albeit from the back of a maul. One of the rare matches where Earl wasn’t at the top of either the tackle or carry charts, even when he went off the field after 50 minutes.

8 Henry Pollock – 7
Grew into the game more and more as the first half developed, making a half break and offload to put van Poortvliet in space and soon after producing a try-saving cover tackle. Produced another try-saving tackle by chasing Michael Stolberg down, despite the lock having a sizeable head start. Bizarrely, this was one of the rare occasions that Pollock didn’t score in England colours though.

Points Flow Chart

England win +63

Time in lead

81

Mins in lead

0

100%

% Of Game In Lead

0%

61.9%

Possession Last 10 min

38.1%

5

Points Last 10 min

0

Replacements
16 Theo Dan – 6
Quiet cameo but tightened England’s lineout up and produced a scything chop tackle.

17 Emmanuel Iyogun – 7
Won England their first scrum penalty in the final 10 minutes of the match. It was an area that England struggled to gain any ascendancy in.

18 Joe Heyes – 6.5
Pulled off a great offload in the contact to put Ojomoh in space down the right flank.

19 Arthur Clark – 6
Steady cameo in his first England appearance on home soil.

20 Ben Curry – 7
Quickly sniped to go over for his first Test try in what was a perfect flanker’s finish, supporting the carrier then thinking quickly at the breakdown.

21 Greg Fisilau – 8.5
His very first touch of the match was a knock-on which almost resulted in Stolberg running it in from his own half. A monstrous shot on Shinya Komura dislodged possession and showed everyone what the 23-year-old can bring in Test rugby. Kazuma Ueda had a taste of his left shoulder a few minutes later. Two huge hits. Sent Japanese centre Samisoni Tua flying with a brutal carry too. Really showed his physical edge after a quiet debut last week. Even got a try from close range to cap his display. Wouldn’t look out of place in the starting XV.

22 Archie McParland – 7
England’s latest debutant, the 21-year-old Northampton Saints star was given over 30 minutes to strut his stuff. Had a minor blip when Dearns charged down a box kick, but he tightened up in that area.

23 Marcus Smith – 7
Joined in the action with a try of his own, drifting wide and stepping to stroll in under the posts.