Borthwick's England are on the right track

EDDIE Jones praised Japan’s improvement in the set-pieces, and a 100 per cent record tended to back him up.

- PAUL REES

But the lineout was also the area that exposed the difference between the sides and contributed significantly to England’s handsome winning margin.

England scored with their first attack after 13 minutes having been under the pump as they tried to hose down Japan’s wave of attacks with runners appearing from all angles, although from too deep to inflict any structural damage.

England were awarded a penalty which they kicked to touch and after a drive Chandler Cunningham-South manoeuvred his way over. Their second try came from another line-out, this time near halfway where a long throw was gathered by Ollie Lawrence who linked with Alex Mitchell for Marcus Smith to step into space and accelerate as if boosted by a turbo.

And their third try followed another lineout, this one secured by Smith’s 50-22 which showed how he played the humid conditions, looking after his forwards rather than setting off on an adventure in his own half. When the drive was held up, Smith’s long pass gave Immanuel Feyi-Waboso the task of merely catching the ball.

And so England were 21-3 up and victory all but sealed after 27 minutes. It would have been different had Japan made anything of two early lineout drives when they were in the ascendant. The first, after they took the lead with an early penalty, was held up a few metres out and turned into an England scrum.

The same happened on the right-hand side a few minutes later when scrum-half Naoto Saito lost control of the ball after the drive had stalled. And there was another repeat on 54 minutes when Japan, chasing a forlorn cause by then, fumbled again. It is one thing winning lineouts but another, as England showed, making something of the possession.