Ben Youngs’ brace of tries guided England to a comfortable 11-try 69-3 victory over Tonga at Twickenham, as he approaches Jason Leonard’s record total of England caps.
Youngs, who won his 110th England cap, scored his side’s fifth and sixth tries either side of half-time in a game in which England were comfortable throughout.
It took the home side just three minutes to open up the scoring, with Adam Radwan scoring his fourth England try in just his second cap, finishing smartly in the corner after some clever link-up play.
Further tries from Jamie George, Jonny May and Maro Itoje led England into a 24-3 lead, after Tane Takulua’s penalty for Tonga briefly closed the gap to 12-3.
Youngs then scored his first try on the cusp of half-time, breaking down the blindside off the back of a maul and dummying his way over the line with the Tongan defence unable to prevent the Leicester Tigers scrum-half dictating the tempo.
His second score came ten minutes into the second half, stealing the ball of Tongan No.8 Sione Vailanu and running it in from the halfway line.
England captain and fly-half Owen Farrell was ruled out pre-match due to a positive Covid-19 test, which meant a re-shuffle for Eddie Jones, with George Furbank coming into the fly-half role and Courtney Lawes taking the England captaincy for the first time.
Much of the talk pre-match was on Marcus Smith, with Jones opting to leave the Harlequins fly-half on the bench due to fitness concerns.
Smith entered the field on 50 minutes to loud cheers at Twickenham, with Furbank’s bow at fly-half ultimately a successful one.
Tonga’s discipline was a problem all match, with the Ikale Tahi receiving two yellow cards, one in each half to wingers Solomone Kata and Walter Fifita and a red card for a shoulder to the head of Smith to replacement Viliami Fine.
England were ruthless in those periods when the Pacific Islanders were down to 14, making Tonga pay for their ill-discipline.
May scored his brace with a well taken score on the hour, with Smith taking over kicking duties from Slade, whose kicking was the only part of his game not to be spot on.
George scored his second off the back of a driving maul ten minutes from time, before Smith ran in England’s ninth try following a lovely Slade break three minutes later.
Jamie Blamire scored his fifth England try in just his third appearance after Smith broke free and debutant Alex Mitchell scored England’s eleventh on the final whistle.
There will be bigger tests to come, with Australia and South Africa next up for Jones’ men, but this was a statement in itself, as England’s latest new dawn began in earnest.
