LONG READ Mick Cleary: 'England were tight, on-message and forceful. There was a clear sense of what they were trying to do.'

Crisis? What crisis? We were told that England were galvanised by off-field noises surrounding an article in The Times. In an era of dwindling newspaper sales, it’s heartening to see that the inky-fingered trade can still make a mark. Perhaps the RFU should take out a subscription. Charge it to the Motivational Department.

Better still, the boys should work it out for themselves. And that’s where we are after a rollicking reaction at the Allianz to all manner of events. Put the piece to one side. With all due respect to a distinguished journalist who would have reported matters in good faith, stuff in the media should not feature in the build-up. Whatever it is that draws a team together has to come from within and be generated by the best practices that go on behind closed doors. Occasionally, and Jamie George’s typically spirited eve-of-match defence of the set-up was one example, the All Blacks emotional coming-together in the traumatic wake of the sudden death of their own was another different illustration, teams do need to reach outside to get them in just the right frame of mind. Whatever the sporting elixir ingested by England, they have to bottle and reproduce it on each and every occasion between now and through to the World Cup in Australia in 11 months time.

Proper judgment at the moment should be deferred until this Nations Championship is completed. England are on course to wrap up the four-game sequence with a back-to-back shoot-out against the All Blacks, currently also in second place in their respective part of the Championship. That’ll be a tester. And that should be our proper reckoner.

But credit where it is due. And it is well and truly due. England have had a chastening 2026, bar the occasional uptick. There was an urgent need for a correction to that state of affairs. And this was it. In spades. England were tight, on-message, forceful as well as inventive. There was a clear sense of what they were trying to do. And for the most part they effected it: strong and purposeful up-front, exacting at the breakdown and in the tackle and slick with ball in hand. You can’t ask for much more than that.

Don’t let us try to undermine the magnitude of what they achieved by saying that Australia were  – which they were – a pale imitation of those Wallabies who have graced the Twickenham turf down the decades, the Lynaghs and Poidevins, the Elsoms and Gregans, and even the lot who intermittently sparkled across the summer months, even managing to land a knockout punch on the (under-strength) Springboks. England who made them look duffers. They gave ‘em nowt – well, apart from an intercept try and a fluffed line-out presentation that led to a simple touchdown – but the vaunted Fraser McReight barely featured nor the master of the skies, Joseph-Aukuso Sua’ali’i, albeit the boy can jump. England, though, dealt with all those threats suggesting that they have managed to groove the fundamental parts that a team needs if they are to go toe-to-toe with the market-leaders, South Africa and New Zealand.

Borthwick’s job should no longer be in doubt, even on the Clapham omnibus. Players will invariably have gripes about management. Lord knows, Clive Woodward, copped a fair bit in his time.

Of course there were glitches. That was only to be expected, particularly with such a reduced lead-in. Whatever it was that ailed England during their underwhelming Six Nations and again during the first iteration of this Nations Championship, losing their rag and their rhythm in Argentina when they had four yellow cards, that sense of unrest and unease is in abeyance. No one should be surprised that there were gripes on that tour. Their schedule was punishing. If the Nations Championship is to be the bedrock of the test scene – which it should be – those travel and welfare issues need reviewing.

Borthwick’s job should no longer be in doubt, even on the Clapham omnibus. Players will invariably have gripes about management. Lord knows, Clive Woodward, copped a fair bit in his time. Even during the World Cup final itself. Johnson, Dallaglio, Dawson, Back – they didn’t stand on ceremony when it came to sorting things out. All for the greater good, of course, not for their own ends.

Trade those names with George, Itoje (who had a splendid game) and Genge, and England 2026 have something worthwhile about them. They could easily have shrugged off last week’s media shenanigans but they chose to confront it, embrace it. And it paid off. That strident mood music needs to echo across the Pennyhill Park playing fields over the next few weeks and beyond.

Naturally enough there will be changes for the Japan game. But Borthwick should resist making more than he needs to. Opportunities for match-day experiences are dwindling. Time chiselling at the coal-face to mine a quality product is invaluable. There will be some sort of calculations to be made as regards fatigue for the Nations Championship end-game but given that the ‘Boks and the All Blacks have been on the road forever and a day, England don’t need to dwell too long on that.

George Furbank returned to the manor born, a test full-back that adds attacking sharpness and playmaker back-up skill.

This performance should be seen as seminal. Fin Smith is anointed as England’s fly-half. Seb Atkinson (hip problem notwithstanding) and Henry Slade get first and sustained dibs on the centre pairing. The midfield trio clicked, working for and off each other. Slade may have had a peak n’trough career but England need stability in that area of the field. South Africa and New Zealand have shown the importance of that. It may only be a minor matter but it was good to see Smith, and Slade, kick deep with their penalties to touch. Too often kickers opt for safety, dear Jonny back in the day being a case in point, but the risk-reward equation has tilted now that the driving maul is such a potent weapon after recent law tweaks. England need to go for it.

Every team with World Cup-winning aspirations needs X-factor. Think Will Jordan or Louis Bielle-Biarrey. Manny Feyi-Waboso fills that role for England. His injury record, though, is a concern.

George Furbank returned to the manor born, a test full-back that adds attacking sharpness and playmaker back-up skill.

Oh, we haven’t mentioned Henry Pollock. That’s as should be. For the importance of this result and this performance is that it was a team effort, right through to the bold selector who had no hesitation in sending on his hybrid back-rower at half time for the stricken Waboso.

That selector, of course, was Borthwick. If there is one man who won’t get carried away by Sunday’s euphoria it will be him. Rudyard’s twin imposters, Triumph and Disaster, could have been penned just for him.