England thrash Australia 45-22 as Pollock inspires and maul row simmers

England beat Australia 45-22 at Twickenham on Sunday, opening their Nations Championship campaign with what BBC Sport columnist Matt Dawson described as the Red Rose's record points tally against the Wallabies.

Seven tries flowed from Borthwick's side across the afternoon, with wing Henry Pollock scoring twice after an injury forced him into the game in place of Immanuel Feyi-Waboso.

Maro Itoje led the team from the front throughout, with Yahoo Sports describing a backline performance that was cohesive and connected as England pulled clear of their visitors.

Borthwick said afterwards he was satisfied with how his squad responded under pressure. "I am really pleased for the players and supporters that we were able to produce that," he said, adding that his players had been "laser-focused on producing that performance."

The head coach also revealed he had leaned on former England coaches for perspective during a difficult week. "In the last couple of days, a number of my predecessors have reached out and contacted me. The basic gist of it was, 'been there, got the t-shirt, focus on the rugby'. That's what I've done this week," he said.

That week had been shaped by a report suggesting unrest among players over Borthwick's leadership following the end of the summer tour, according to the BBC. Hooker Jamie George said days before the Australia match that the squad had been galvanised by the claims rather than unsettled by them.

Dawson wrote that England arrived at the contest more accurate, disciplined and creative than at any point since their Six Nations campaign, and even since their Nations Championship matches over the summer, calling the display a significant step up rather than simply a reflection of a flat Australian performance.

Yahoo Sports placed the win alongside last November's victory over New Zealand as among the strongest of the Borthwick era given the standard of opposition, framing it as the squad's answer to a turbulent build-up and a show of unity behind their head coach.

Not every aspect of the afternoon escaped scrutiny. Footage of England's driving maul circulated afterwards, with fans accusing the side of employing an illegal tactic that officials allowed to stand, according to Ruck, though the specifics of the alleged infringement were not detailed beyond the online reaction it generated.

No formal sanction or review of the incident was reported, leaving the complaint as an unresolved talking point rather than a confirmed controversy.

Yahoo Sports noted the result still leaves open questions over whether England can sustain this level, describing the display as either the start of something substantial or a single flash of form.

Those questions will be tested as the autumn series continues, with Yahoo Sports noting the next three weeks will show plenty about what Borthwick's squad can build on from the win.