England hit back at critics with dominant victory over Australia

England produced an emphatic 45-22 win over Australia at Allianz Stadium, scoring seven tries to deliver a statement performance and strengthen their backing of head coach Steve Borthwick.

England responded to a difficult week of scrutiny in the best possible fashion, overwhelming Australia with an attacking display that offered a timely reminder of the team's potential.

The hosts had faced questions about their unity and mentality in the build-up, but their performance at Twickenham provided a convincing answer. Led by captain Maro Itoje, England played with energy and purpose, combining a powerful set-piece with greater ambition in attack.

Immanuel Feyi-Waboso was central to England's early threat, repeatedly troubling the Australian defence with his pace and direct running. His involvement helped create the opening for Jamie George, who crossed from a driving maul after Fin Smith had kicked England into the corner.

Australia responded through a Ryan Lonergan penalty, but England continued to control proceedings. Feyi-Waboso's attacking contribution helped create the opportunity for Ollie Chessum to finish a move down the left, extending the home side's advantage.

The pressure continued to build when Australia lost Angus Bell to a yellow card for a dangerous tackle on Feyi-Waboso. England made the most of the resulting opportunity, with another powerful maul providing the platform for Joe Heyes to score.

There was a setback when Feyi-Waboso was forced off injured, while Australia briefly found a way back into the contest. A loose pass from Jack van Poortvliet was intercepted by Max Jorgensen, who raced clear to give the visitors a much-needed score.

England were left without a specialist replacement winger, meaning Henry Pollock was moved out wide. Rather than allowing the disruption to unsettle them, the hosts responded with one of their most impressive passages of the match.

Pollock made an immediate impact, breaking through several Australian challenges to launch an attack from deep inside England's half. The move continued through Smith and George Furbank before Tommy Freeman finished, with Van Poortvliet involved in the build-up to restore England's momentum.

Pollock then took centre stage himself, crossing for two tries in quick succession to put the result beyond doubt. His performance was another highlight of an afternoon in which England's attacking options repeatedly caused problems for the Wallabies.

Australia managed late scores through Filipo Daugunu and Jeremy Williams, but England had the final say. Ben Spencer intercepted a pass to claim another try and complete a seven-try performance.

The result was particularly significant for Borthwick after a week dominated by questions surrounding the atmosphere within the England camp. His players had spoken publicly about their commitment to the head coach, and their performance provided a strong response on the pitch.

There will still be concerns over the fitness of Feyi-Waboso and Seb Atkinson, while Australia will need to address a performance that followed a difficult run of results. However, England can take considerable confidence from a victory that represented their highest points total against the Wallabies.

Attention now turns to Japan, with England needing to show that this display can become the foundation for a successful November campaign rather than a one-off response.