Published Nov 14, 2026 11:51 am
England's Will Joseph, left, attempts to get past Japan's Kazuma Ueda during a Nations Championships rugby match between England and Japan at Twickenham in London, Saturday, Nov. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
LONDON (AP) — Rookie winger Will Joseph scored five tries as England put Japan to the sword by a record 78-15 in Nations Championship rugby at Twickenham on Saturday.
England, up 49-10 at halftime, finished with 13 tries for its highest score anywhere in 23 years.
Joseph, the younger brother of former England and British Lions center Jonathan Joseph, scored the first try after 60 seconds, had a hat trick after 19 minutes, and four tries after 24 minutes.
His fifth try equalled the England men’s single-test record with four others, the most recent by Henry Arundell against Chile at the 2023 World Cup.
“A very special day, I loved every minute of that,” Joseph told broadcaster ITV. “It was almost a pretty perfect day that.”
He made a one-minute test debut at 19 beside Arundell on the 2022 tour of Australia, and was picked for the first time since then after Immanuel Feyi-Waboso was injured in the win against Australia last weekend.
Joseph, on the right wing, thrived on receiving the ball against Japan debutant Riku Tokito. The first try he scored from halfway came when he glided past three defenders.
In the buildup, a high shot by Japan lock Harry Hockings on England prop Ellis Genge earned Hockings a yellow card that was upgraded to a 20-minute red card. After 20 minutes, when Japan could replace Hockings, England was 32-3 ahead.
Joseph’s second try followed a grubber kick by fullback Freddie Steward and for the hat trick he gassed clear from nearly 40 meters out. That made he and Jonathan the first brothers to score hat tricks for England.
England had only moments beforehand claimed the four-try bonus point when Genge battered across the line.
Joseph planted the ball one-handed in a corner dive for the fourth try and scored the fifth after halftime while teammate Luke Cowan-Dickie was in the sin-bin.
England converted only five of its 13 tries and still blew away its previous high score against Japan of 60-7 at the 1987 World Cup.
Japan was willing but severely outgunned although it took away tries by captain Warner Dearns from a tap penalty and prop Opeti Helu.
“We struggled with the physicality and the big carriers, and then the backs just picked apart our defense, which was tough,” Dearns told broadcaster ITV. “We know that when we can get our attack going we can score points but it’s just about how we can stop other teams scoring points.”
England face New Zealand next weekend while chasing France for a place in the final at Twickenham in two weeks. Japan goes to Scotland.
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