This story has moved on: England crush Japan 78-15 with Joseph scoring record-equalling five tries

Summarised from 6 outlets · 12 reports · Updated 13 Nov, 13:14 · Archive

Japan, coached by Eddie Jones, face England at Twickenham on Saturday in a Nations Championship match.

Japan, coached by former England head coach Eddie Jones, travel to Twickenham on Saturday to face England in the Nations Championship. This marks a significant return for the 66-year-old Australian, who was sacked by England in December 2022 following a 27-13 defeat by South Africa at the same ground and jeers from home fans.

Japan have lost all six previous Test meetings with England, most recently falling to a 54-19 defeat during an autumn tour two years ago. However, Italy beat England for the first time in 33 attempts in March 2024, and Fiji secured a 30-22 victory in 2023, both during Steve Borthwick's tenure as England head coach. Jones is drawing on these recent upsets as inspiration for his own ambitions.

Jones told BBC Radio 5 Live that Japan are 'massive underdogs' but plan to disrupt England's focus. 'We've got to find a way to disrupt an England side that's looking at New Zealand next week and sometimes may be a little bit distracted,' he said. 'Our opportunity is to get in there, cause some havoc, cause some chaos, put off their game, get the crowd booing. Then the sky starts to come in on Twickenham and you never know what can happen.' He suggested that England's players are uniquely susceptible to pressure given the level of scrutiny they face compared to other international teams.

England come into the match fresh from a 45-22 victory over Australia. However, Borthwick has made ten personnel changes and two positional tweaks to his starting XV, giving opportunities to fringe players seeking World Cup selection. Only five players from the Australia match retain their starting positions: captain Maro Itoje, Alex Coles, Ben Earl, Jack van Poortvliet and Henry Slade. Rookies Will Joseph and Max Ojomoh start on the right wing and inside centre respectively, while George Ford returns at fly-half with Fin Smith rested.

Borthwick has indicated that he has identified 26 to 28 of his 33-man World Cup squad for next year's tournament in Australia. This leaves only five to seven places up for grabs, making Saturday's match an audition for players seeking to secure their spot. Borthwick warned his squad that while individual performances matter, the team must come first. 'The team is always the most important thing but, at the same time, it's the balance between the team, self-sacrifice and self-expression,' he said. 'You've got players there that when the moment is right, and they'll judge the moment, that self-expression comes through.'

Ojomoh, a centre from Bath, earned his recall after winning player of the match in his last England outing against Argentina in November 2025. He has been out of favour since then, spending periods outside Borthwick's squad. Borthwick described him as 'one of the most talented players in English rugby' but challenged him to combine skill with physicality. 'He used to be a second receiver, that second pair of eyes, the distribution skills and the potential kicking skills,' Borthwick told BBC Sport. 'Now they've got to hit and they've got to run in attack and they've got to run in defence.'

England captain Maro Itoje warned his side need to be 'alive' when facing Japan, acknowledging that they 'always surprise you'. The match will also see debutants Archie McParland, Emmanuel Iyogun, Arthur Clark and Greg Fisilau available from the bench. The Guardian noted that England's radical reshuffling recalls a 2016 match against Japan which became known among players as 'the Black Hole game' because so many international careers were derailed after that victory. Borthwick appears intent on avoiding a repeat of that scenario by maintaining clear expectations about team performance.

How it is being reported

• Borthwick challenges Ojomoh to match talent with toughnessMax Ojomoh must bring physicality, as well as his usual stardust, to England's backline, says head coach Steve Borthwick.BBC Sport · 13 Nov, 11:53
• England’s secret weapon is being overlooked amid the attacking hypeEngland have named a much-changed side for Saturday's Nations Championship meeting with JapanThe i Paper · 13 Nov, 07:00
• Steve Borthwick has placed the onus on his England players to produce statement performances against Japan but 10 changes feels like too many, writes ALEX BYWATERSteve Borthwick laid down a World Cup challenge to fringe squad members Max Ojomoh and Will Joseph after making a mammoth 10 personnel changes to his England team for Japan.Daily Mail Sport · 12 Nov, 18:47
• Much-changed England told to ignore World Cup and put team first against JapanOnly three retained in same positions from Australia game ‘We want the very best of these guys,’ says Maro Itoje England’s World Cup hopefuls have been warned not to go off script when auditioning for a place on the plane next year after Steve Borthwick rang the changes to his side to face Japan on Saturday, handing starts to rookies Will Joseph and Max Ojomoh as well as Henry Pollock. Borthwick has made 10 personnel and two positional changes to his team to play Eddie Jones’s side with a glut of injuries, a handful of players in need of a rest and the head coach’s determination to give…The Guardian · 12 Nov, 18:10
• Steve Borthwick explains Max Ojomoh selection against Japan: ‘One of the most talented players in English rugby’Ojomoh will wear the No 12 shirt after an injury to Seb AtkinsonIndependent Sport · 12 Nov, 18:04
• Steve Borthwick warns team comes first as England hopefuls look to impressFresh from a 45-22 defeat of Australia, Borthwick has made 10 changes for the second Nations Championship clash with Japan.Independent Sport · 12 Nov, 18:00
• Why England’s fringe figures face World Cup audition against JapanOpportunities abound for a much-changed England team, Harry Latham-Coyle writes – but history shows that Japan can prove troublesome oppositionIndependent Sport · 12 Nov, 18:00
• 'They always surprise you!' - Itoje warns England of Japan threatEngland captain Maro Itoje has warned his side need to be 'alive' when facing Japan at Twickenham on Saturday.Sky Sports · 12 Nov, 16:08
• EDDIE JONES: How my Japan team is planning to take down England - what we learned from brutalised Australia, bringing in Eddie Howe and Dylan Hartley... and why Steve Borthwick is one of the two best coaches I've ever worked withEDDIE JONES: It's been a busy week, planning for England and catching up with some familiar faces. I saw two of my old players, James Haskell and Jonny May. I haven't laughed so hard in ages.Daily Mail Sport · 12 Nov, 12:23
• Eddie Jones retains his passion and divisive power heading into England reunionJapan head coach was criticised for discarding players harshly during his Red Rose tenure but that tough love has paid off for some To listen to Eddie Jones chewing the fat on assorted podcasts this week is to admire the enduring thickness of his coaching skin. The old crocodile smile is still intact too, along with his sense of humour after an interaction in a lift with a fan after his Japan side’s 28-21 weekend defeat in Cardiff . As Jones later confided: “This Welsh bloke came up to me and said: ‘You almost look human with your glasses on.’” Next up is a reunion with a few former friends…The Guardian · 11 Nov, 17:00
• Jones: Japan aiming to 'make Twickenham sky fall in on distracted England'Former England head coach Eddie Jones has said his Japan side are aiming to "make the Twickenham sky fall in on" Steve Borthwick's "distracted" charges in Saturday's Nations Championship Test.Sky Sports · 11 Nov, 16:48
• Japan want 'the sky to fall in' at Twickenham – JonesEddie Jones says Japan are drawing inspiration from Italy as they chase their own landmark win over England on Saturday.BBC Sport · 11 Nov, 14:57

In this story: Eddie Jones · Steve Borthwick · Japan · England · Twickenham · Max Ojomoh · Maro Itoje · George Ford

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