England beat Japan 78-15 at Twickenham as Will Joseph equals record with five tries
England ran in 13 tries in a one-sided Nations Championship match, with Japan down to 14 men for 20 minutes after a first-minute red card. New Zealand are next, on Saturday 21 November.
Will Joseph scored five tries on his first Test start as England beat Japan 78-15 at the Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, on Saturday.
The Gloucester wing joins Douglas Lambert, Rory Underwood, Josh Lewsey and Henry Arundell as the only players to score five in a single match for England's men. He made his debut as a replacement in 2022.
England scored 13 tries in all and led 49-10 at half-time.
Lock Harry Hockings caught Ellis Genge with a shoulder to the head in the opening minute, and after a review he was shown a 20-minute red card, which lets a side bring on a replacement once the 20 minutes are up.
Joseph crossed from that same passage of play, and England scored four more tries while Japan were a man short.
Freddie Steward, Genge, Cadan Murley and Ben Earl, from a driving maul, also scored in the first half. Joseph added his fifth after the break by intercepting a Japan pass, with George Martin, Ben Curry, Marcus Smith and Greg Fisilau completing the scoring. Warner Dearns and Opeti Helu got Japan's tries.
Northampton scrum-half Archie McParland made his England debut from the bench.
New Zealand next
The win was England's fourth in a row and lifts them to second in their Nations Championship table, the RFU said.
England play New Zealand at the Allianz Stadium on Saturday 21 November, their last match before the competition's finals weekend. The All Blacks arrive after losing to Wales in Cardiff earlier on Saturday. The RFU says the game is sold out.
