England got the result they needed on Sunday, but the victory over Australia came with the sort of aftertaste that coaches hate. A 45-22 win at Allianz Stadium in the Nations Championship looks strong on paper. The reality is messier. Immanuel Feyi-Waboso lasted only 40 minutes before needing a scan on an injured ankle, and that is the kind of detail that can quickly eclipse everything else.
For a side that had already been dealing with media reports of unhappiness in the camp this summer, England did not need another fitness headache. They have now won only three of their past eight games, which is hardly the record of a team cruising through its problems. So yes, the scoreboard was healthy enough. The bigger question is whether the body count is starting to get in the way of any real momentum.
England win, but the concern is obvious
Immanuel Feyi-Waboso was not the only player to finish the match carrying a concern. Seb Atkinson also sustained a blow to his hip, leaving England with a couple of fresh knocks to assess after a game they would have preferred to enjoy without complications. That is especially awkward with Saturday’s meeting with Japan next on the schedule.
The wing issue matters most because it hits a position England need to trust. Feyi-Waboso had barely got into the match before his night was cut short, and once a player is walking off for a scan, the conversation shifts immediately from performance to availability. That is the last thing Steve Borthwick wants when his side are still trying to build something more convincing.
Borthwick was in upbeat mood after the win, insisting there is another gear in this team and that it is pleasing and exciting. He also said former coaches had contacted him before the match to tell him to focus on the rugby, a pointed reminder of the noise surrounding England this summer. Maro Itoje, meanwhile, went out of his way to back him, saying he has had the privilege of Borthwick coaching him since 2016 and that the criticism does not reflect the environment he recognises.
That support matters, because the results have not exactly silenced anyone. England have talent, and on Sunday they showed enough of it to put Australia away by 45-22. They scored seven tries and at times looked far more convincing than the version of the team that has been stumbling through much of the year. But a good scoreline does not cancel out the larger truth: this is still a side under scrutiny, and every injury only makes selection more complicated.
There was at least some frankness from the opposition too. Les Kiss admitted Australia did not get going, particularly in the first half, and credited England for imposing their game. That is fair enough. England earned the win. Yet the biggest takeaway may still be that the match left them with an injured wing, a bruised hip, and a reminder that momentum can disappear fast when availability starts to wobble.
So England move on to Japan with a win in the bank, but not with complete peace of mind. Feyi-Waboso’s scan will now tell them how serious the problem is. Until then, the headline remains simple: England won, but the cost could yet matter.
