England delivered a commanding performance, defeating Japan 52-17 on Saturday in Eddie Jones' first match back as head coach. The team displayed patience on a humid day in Tokyo, initially absorbing Japan's early pressure before capitalizing on their defensive lapses.

Japan started strong, kicking a penalty in the second minute. However, England soon took control, with tries from flanker Chandler Cunningham-South, flyhalf Marcus Smith, and winger Immanuel Feyi-Waboso within the first 30 minutes.

Just before halftime, centre Henry Slade crossed the line, and further tries from Alex Mitchell, Ben Earl, Harry Randall, and Sam Underhill sealed the game for England. The experienced front row of Bevan Rodd, Jamie George, and Dan Cole dominated the scrums, winning crucial penalties and lineouts.

In contrast, Japan fielded a young and inexperienced squad, with an average of just 11 caps per player. Eddie Jones, who previously coached England from 2015-2022, included four debutants in his starting lineup, among them 20-year-old fullback Yoshitaka Yazaki.

England was relentless early in the second half, with Randall scoring in the 59th minute, even as Smith was temporarily sidelined for an early tackle. However, the final quarter saw England's intensity wane, allowing Japan to score two late tries.

Japan showed glimpses of their potential with dynamic offloads and breaks through the gain line. Their persistence paid off in the 68th minute when winger Koga Nezuka dived into the corner. Shortly after, lock Warner Dearns sidestepped the England defense to set up Takuya Yamasawa for a spectacular try.

"We showed enough in attack to know we're going in the right direction," Jones said at the post-match news conference. "We're 10 days into a four-year project," he added, highlighting the long-term vision for the team.

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