Feyi-Waboso burns bright as England energy endorses Borthwick

After scraping past Steve Borthwick’s side in the 2023 Rugby World Cup semi-final, the South Africa hooker was scathing of England’s back-slapping and celebrating of in-game wins.

By then, it had already become something of a meme. Back row Ben Earl pumping his fist to celebrate Ireland’s crooked line-out throw in a pre-tournament warm-up was a particular source of online mockery.

But, while it isn’t the diesel grunt that can win matches on its own, “plastic energy” is still something.

It is the body language that shows mindset and intent, that a team’s pilot light is on and burning bright.

England had it under Borthwick at the Stade de France three years ago, coming agonisingly close to derailing the Springboks. And they had it in spades in Sunday’s 45-22 win against the Wallabies.

Earl, inevitably, was one outlet, loudly celebrating a third-minute scrum success.

But there were plenty more examples throughout the match. Jamie George bellowing into the stands after the opening score; captain Maro Itoje being surrounded with congratulations after an early charge-down; Henry Slade being embraced after a lung-busting late try-saving tackle on Max Jorgensen.

Full-back George Furbank summed it up. Playing his first Test in nearly two years, his ball-playing smarts were deliciously demonstrated in Jack van Poortvliet’s try, hitting a line, flashing a dummy and smuggling an offload to cut the Wallabies to ribbons.

Henry Slade and Seb Atkinson pulled strings expertly as well.
Immanuel Feyi-Waboso showed the sort of Test match mojo that England must protect at all costs.

The Exeter wing, who, like Furbank, has endured a rotten injury run, was electric in the first half.

Every time the 23-year-old touched the ball, expectation crackled around the stands. And it was mostly met.

Australia were desperately poor. Their players are in the midst of a pay dispute with Rugby Australia, an unwelcome distraction that has gone under the radar given the focus on Borthwick.

New Zealand, rejuvenated under new coach Dave Rennie, will offer a far more formidable stress test in a fortnight.

But as the team’s energy spread to the stands, with the vast majority of the 81,334 won over by the display, Sunday was a victory for England to savour at the end of a difficult week.