Will Joseph scores five as England run in 13 tries to overwhelm Japan
Will Joseph scored five tries to equal an England Test record as England ran in 13 tries to overpower Japan at Twickenham in a Nations Championship match on 14 November 2026. The home side dominated from the outset and produced one of the most one-sided displays seen on the ground.
Joseph completed a hat-trick inside the game's opening 20 minutes and his first try arrived in the opening minute. Japan lost second-row Harry Hockings to a subsequently upgraded 20-minute red card in the first minute, and head coach Eddie Jones watched from the stands with a stern expression. Even in the absence of some first-choice personnel, Maro Itoje’s side frequently attacked with verve and led 49-10 by half-time.
Playing only his second Test, Joseph’s early surge framed the match: a double pump pass from Henry Slade and a cross-kick from Freddie Steward set up his hat-trick, an acrobatic dive produced his fourth, and an interception allowed him to sprint 50 metres for his fifth. The Gloucester back’s opening score was described in match coverage as “splendidly taken,” and his sequence left several defenders trailing. Joseph is the younger brother of former England centre Jonathan Joseph.
Ellis Genge produced a barnstorming first-half try that left multiple bodies on the floor, while Cadan Murley muscled his way over for another England five-pointer. Warner Dearns replied for Japan, and Ben Earl added a further England try before the interval. Those scores contributed to England’s substantial half-time margin.
Four minutes after the restart George Martin increased England’s try tally to nine. Opeti Helu reduced the deficit for Japan three minutes later with their second score of the evening. Luke Cowan-Dickie was sin-binned during the second half, and Marcus Smith, on for Ford in the 57th minute, added a burst of pace to proceedings. Greg Fisilau combined a crunching defensive hit with a direct route to the line to finish his contribution with a try.
England’s goalkicking was below par, with Ford and Henry Slade successful with only five conversions between them and leaving points unclaimed. Judging by some of the expressions on the faces of certain English forwards, Ford’s decision to kick three points from an early penalty was not universally popular. The match also comfortably topped England’s previous highest score against the Brave Blossoms.
Joseph’s five-try haul drew him level with Douglas Lambert (1907), Rory Underwood (1989), Josh Lewsey (2003) and Henry Arundell (2023) as the only players to score five tries in a Test for England. The performance was described as as dream a home debut as Twickenham can offer for the 24-year-old.
How the Nations Championship final pool standings will pan out next Saturday remains uncertain, with South Africa and New Zealand both needing to respond to weekend jolts. England face New Zealand next Saturday, a fixture the coverage said will supply a much sterner examination for the home side.