Comeback kid Joseph thrills as England eye All Blacks

"Being a spectator and being told when to make noise is a bit funny," said the Japan boss, objecting to a big-screen request for an increase in volume. Jones sat stony-faced in the coaching box as the message appeared again in the midst of his team's 78-15 thrashing at England's hands on Saturday. With junior tickets on sale at £15, there was a different atmosphere from usual. The decibels were higher, the demographic was younger, the spirits a little lighter.

And England brought plenty of entertainment to the party. Thirteen tries in total, with Will Joseph's five putting him in the centre of the chorus line. The 24-year-old won his only previous England cap under Jones. Back in the summer of 2022, he was a teenage apprentice taken on tour to Australia and thrust into the second Test as a last-minute replacement.

His promise has taken some time to be fulfilled. He struggled for game time and fitness at Harlequins after London Irish's bankruptcy forced him to move on from his boyhood club.