WILL JOSEPH passed his World Cup audition with a five-star performance as England hammered Japan can book his ticket for Oz next year.
Wing Joseph joined Douglas Lambert — in 1907 — Rory Underwood, Josh Lewsey and Henry Arundell, who have scored five tries in a Test for England.
It was a case of no Manny Feyi-Waboso, no problem as Gloucester’s Joseph scored three in 19 minutes for the fastest first half treble by an Englishman as his side racked up 13 touchdowns.
And he made it four in 24 minutes and five in 55 minutes all watched by brother Jonathan, the former England centre.
Joseph won his only cap in 2022, under , getting two minutes off the bench against Australia in Brisbane but has not been seen since. He is back with bang and won’t go missing for four-and-a-half years again.
He moved from London Irish, to Harlequins and then to Kingsholm, went deaf in one ear two years ago and now he should be going down under next year.
Ellis Genge looked like a bloke with a point to prove after being benched last week and charged around knocking people into next week and taking names.
, in his first Test since the 42-21 drubbing by Ireland looked like a man reborn in attack and George Martin and Ben Earl got through a ton of work.
And Borthwick able to get his subs on, and the likes of , Henry Pollock and Jack van Poortvliet off, early with the seething All Blacks in town on Saturday.
This was after the Lord Mayor’s Show following the historic event in Cardiff and it felt flat but it was party time for Joseph.
Calm down at the back, we know it was only Japan and we know they were shocking for the first half but England put them away early and they don’t always do that.
England started like a train and, for once, did not take the foot of Japanese throats until the visitors showed up in the second half and it all got a bit scrappy.
They had the bonus point in the bag in 18 minutes, Joseph had his hat-trick a minute later and the result was done in the first quarter.
Jones had talked the talk, as usual, in the week warning England he had some tricks up his sleeve but it was shown to be all hot air as Borthwick’s crew blew his old mentor’s team off the park.
Jones could not have planned for having lock Harry Hocking high-shotting Ellis Genge in the first minute and getting a 20-minute red for the challenge in the build-up to Joseph’s first score.
But with eight games to go until Borthwick names his World Cup squad a few men put their hands up and Joseph was the main one. He has told players they are running out of time to make their case but Joseph could not have done much more here.
He was out of the blocks sharpish finishing a curving run by touching down on the right-hand side for his first on a minute.
George Ford booted a penalty then England put their foot down. Freddie Steward’s brilliant chip through, on the run, made Joseph’s second, Steward scored a third and then Genge made a statement.
The Bristol man was like a rampant elephant as he smashed through three Japanese defenders to grab the bonus point and Japan were cooked.
It was all white as England went in at half-time 49-10 up before George Martin kept the procession going and Joseph got his fifth from an interception but it was a practice run after that.
