A Test Steve Borthwick and his squad needed to win, and they delivered at Twickenham. One of the main concerns for a head coach when selecting a 6-2 replacements bench, as opposed to a more conventional 5-3 split of forwards to backs, is backline injuries. Owing to the fact one of the two backs in a 6-2 must be a scrum-half, that leaves just one player covering fly-half, centre, wings and full-back, or able to cover some of those positions with a rejig of other players on the pitch.
What is unique in rugby at the moment is the presence of a small pool of genuine hybrid players. That is to say, players who can perform as a forward and as a back. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Levani Botia for Fiji and Andre Esterhuizen for South Africa are two such examples of players who have played at back-row and centre.
France's Oscar Jegou came on as a centre in Dublin in 2025 and performed superbly despite being a back-row, while England back-row Ben Earl was been touted as a potential centre option. On Sunday against Australia, England had a bench with scrum-half Ben Spencer and Marcus Smith - who can play at fly-half and full-back - as recognised backs. Wing Immanuel Feyi-Waboso - sensational during the first half - suffered an ankle injury and limped through to half-time, and when it became clear he could not continue, back-row Henry Pollock was the man chosen to come onto the wing.
At that point in the match, the difference was only nine points in favour of England - hardly a Test wrapped up - but Pollock's very first carry on the wing was fantastic, motoring and fighting forward for some 10 metres to get into the Australia half. In fact, it set in motion England's attack which eventually saw Tommy Freeman race on down the right and pass inside for Jack van Poortvliet to score the bonus-point clinching fourth try. The hosts never looked back from there.
Better was to follow from the 21-year-old Pollock: two superb finishes on the opposite flank as part of slick backline moves run by fly-half Fin Smith where Pollock scored twice in two minutes to wrap up the match as a contest. There's a lot of noise from and around him, but all-action back-row with superb breakdown skills and the pace of a back? Well add part-time winger to Pollock's resume now too.
And that is a huge asset for Steve Borthwick and England. Potentially priceless, even. While England's backline moved the ball superbly on Sunday afternoon, their attacks were only possible thanks to their pack, who built platforms around the field for their backs to launch attacks from.
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