Japan vs England LIVE rugby: Result and reaction as Marcus Smith inspires big win in Tokyo
Japan 17-52 England: Marcus Smith and Henry Slade pulled the strings as the visitors ran in eight tries
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England kicked off their summer tour with an eight-try thrashing of Japan in Tokyo as they tuned up for two Tests against the All Blacks.
Steve Borthwick’s side head south for a two-Test tour of New Zealand at the start of July, and the England head coach will have been pleased with how his side accelerated away after a sticky start on a hot and humid afternoon. After holding firm defensively despite a fast Japanese start, Marcus Smith and Henry Slade pulled the strings nicely at the Japan National Stadium as England showed off their attacking array to take control of the contest.
Four first-half tries were followed by scores after interval from Alex Mitchell, Ben Earl, Harry Randall and Sam Underhill, though England’s win was somewhat marred by the sending off of Charlie Ewels late on. The lock was making his first international appearance since being red carded at Twickenham against Ireland during the 2022 Six Nations but flew in dangerously on Japan captain Michael Leitch at a ruck to potentially end his tour.
The Ewels incident came amid Japan’s brightest spell as lock Warner Dearns created two excellent tries, but it is England who emerged as sizeable winners to take confidence into their first clash with the All Blacks in a fortnight.
Re-live all of the action from the Japan National Stadium in Tokyo below:
Japan 17-45 England, 75 minutes
Michael Leitch was lucky there that he managed to just jump back at the right time, lifting his studs out of the surface and avoiding serious injury (you’d hope) as a result. The veteran looks tired but is involved heavily as Japan just do enough to keep Tom Roebuck out on the right.
YELLOW CARD AND OFF FOR REVIEW! Japan 17-45 England, 72 minutes
A dangerous clearout targeting a lower limb - the French officials conclude it meets the yellow card threshold and Charlie Ewels will play no further part. The bunker official will decide if it stays yellow or is upgraded to red.
Japan 17-45 England, 72 minutes
England have just lost control of the contest a bit in the last ten minutes, and Maro Itoje (captaining with Jamie George off) gathers his side for a chat. An offside penalty earns them territory but Charlie Ewels flies in to a ruck entirely out of control and is rightly penalised.
Michael Leitch is a little sore after Ewels’ blast. Two medics help him up but TMO Eric Gauzins wants a look at the contact.
TRY! JAPAN 17-45 England (Takuya Yamasawa, 68 minutes)
Warner Dearns is at it again!
Stop that! The lock is some talent, big, quick, skillful, and this is a remarkable assist for replacement full-back Takuya Tamasawa. Dearns takes an errant pass with his fingertips and dances past Maro Itoje, accelerating up to speed. The lock stomps through Tokyo like Godzilla but has the calmness to draw the final defender and send his team mate in under the sticks. Magnificent!
TRY! JAPAN 10-45 England (Koga Nezuka, 66 minutes)
A deserved Japan try!
What work From Kai Yamamoto in the build-up! Dynamite footwork from the replacement flanker take him past two would-be England tacklers and through a soft-chested Fin Smith, breaking the defensive line. Warner Dearns ensures that this chance is taken, showing off good touch for a (very) big man to tee up wing Koga Nezuka.
Japan 3-45 England, 65 minutes
Japan tap and go and then turn Tommy Freeman, who does rather well to escape three defenders with secure possession. Randall clears.
England are restored to 15 players, but Marcus Smith will not be returning: Fin Smith replaces him, and Charlie Ewels is on in the second row, too.
Japan 3-45 England, 64 minutes
Superb from Shinobo Fujiwara! The scrum half is far from the biggest but that matters not when your ruck technique is that good, Will Stuart forced to hold on with Fujiwara like a barnacle atop the prone prop.
Japan tap quickly but Ben Earl intercepts on the right. That’s loose from Harry Randall, though, skewing his box kick more up than out - with no long box kick chaser to put them onside, a load of England forwards are offside and penalised.
Japan 3-45 England, 63 minutes
George Martin has an extended examination from a medic after coming up off the floor. with a sore shoulder. The lock has been good today, busy and brutal in contact, and looks healthy enough. He joins England’s attacking lineout five metres from the edge of Japan’s 22.
Japan 3-45 England, 61 minutes
A debut for Tom Roebuck on the wing for England - the youngster has had two smashing seasons for Sale and trained the house down during the Six Nations, by all accounts. He didn’t earn an opportunity in that campaign but has 20 minutes to make an impact here.
TRY! Japan 3-45 ENGLAND (Harry Randall try, 58 minutes)
And where the hosts are profligate, England are precise!
Immanuel Feyi-Waboso wins a high ball inside the Japan half and the visitors don’t look back. Lovely handling up the left affords Tommy Freeman a chance to stretch his legs, and then it is just about patience. Harry Randall picks his forward runners to create dents before zipping to the line when Japan overfold and leave space adjacent to the ruck.
Henry Slade takes over converting duties from the tee with Marcus Smith, using all of the permitted 60 seconds to drain time away with his fly half in the sin bin. Popped through.
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