England run riot against Japan as Will Joseph scores five tries

England produced a sensational attacking display to defeat Japan 78-15 in their Nations Championship Round 5 encounter at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, on Saturday.

Steve Borthwick's side dominated proceedings from the opening whistle, scoring 13 tries in a one-sided contest. Winger Will Joseph was the standout performer, crossing the try line five times to equal England's record for the most tries scored by an individual in a Test match.

England got off to a flying start, with Joseph opening the scoring inside the first minute after breaking through the Japanese defence. The Gloucester winger added another shortly afterwards, finishing off a well-placed kick from Freddie Steward before completing his hat-trick inside the opening 20 minutes.

Japan's afternoon became even more difficult when lock Harry Hockings received a yellow card for a dangerous tackle in the opening stages, which was subsequently upgraded to a 20-minute red card.

England took full advantage of their numerical superiority, with Ellis Genge, Cadan Murley and Ben Earl adding to the scoreboard as the hosts continued to stretch Japan's defence. Joseph then grabbed his fourth try before the half-hour mark, while Japan managed to respond through Warner Dearns and Helu Opeti.

England went into the half-time break with a commanding 49-10 advantage, having already put the contest beyond Japan's reach.

The hosts showed no signs of slowing down after the restart, with George Martin crossing early in the second half. Ben Curry, Marcus Smith and Greg Fisilau also got their names on the scoresheet as England continued to dominate both territory and possession.

Joseph completed his remarkable five-try performance with an interception try, capping an outstanding individual display that saw him make a significant impact in attack.

Japan struggled to contain England's attacking momentum throughout the encounter, with the visitors unable to mount a meaningful comeback despite their efforts in the second half.

England eventually secured an emphatic 78-15 victory, recording 13 tries and maintaining their winning momentum ahead of their highly anticipated meeting with New Zealand next weekend.