Henry Pollock brutally trolls Wales after England smash them

Henry Arundell, starting for England for the first time in over two years, turned the clock back in emphatic fashion, tearing through the Welsh defence for a first-half hat-trick as Steve Borthwick’s side disappeared over the horizon before the interval.

Wales briefly stemmed the bleeding five minutes after the restart when Josh Adams latched onto Dan Edwards’ inch-perfect punt, but that moment proved little more than a footnote on an otherwise brutal afternoon.

Ben Earl and Tom Roebuck crossed before England’s bench injection added fresh venom for the final quarter, with Marcus Smith, Henry Pollock and returning skipper Maro Itoje lifting the tempo even further.

Earl again showcased his versatility by shifting into midfield late on — just as he did during last year’s 68-14 demolition in Cardiff — as England used the closing stages to trial new attacking shapes with the result long since secured.

The ruthlessness didn’t stop at full-time either. Pollock, making his presence felt both on and off the pitch, summed up the mismatch with a typically cold-blooded Instagram post captioned “Is that a lot?” alongside a blood emoji and a rose.

Brutal. England are up and running.

England were clinical and ruthless. Yet with Scotland next up, selection conversations are inevitable. Here are three players who didn’t fully convince — and the changes Steve Borthwick should consider.

Roebuck had a subdued opening half, largely starved of possession as England’s attack flowed almost exclusively towards Arundell’s wing. He showed his quality early in the second period with a sharp break and was rewarded with a try moments later, kicking on from there with far more involvement.

There were encouraging signs, especially given his lengthy spell out of action, but the slow start was notable. Against Scotland, England will want immediate impact out wide rather than waiting for the game to open up.

Replacement: Immanuel Feyi-Waboso (if fit) or Ollie Hassell-Collins

Genge’s performance was a mix of industry and ill-discipline. He topped England’s tackle count in the first half and carried hard, but too often the positives were undermined.

A needless early confrontation with Alex Mann saw a penalty reversed, he was later caught offside, and he allowed Liam Williams to cleverly milk another penalty.

He was also held up when England were camped on the Welsh line — an example of effort without reward. It was busy, combative and committed, but the lack of composure disrupted England’s rhythm.

Replacement: Bevan Rodd

Coles quietly contributed to one of England’s strongest areas: the set piece. He applied pressure at the lineout and unsettled Dewi Lake, helping England dominate Welsh ball. His work-rate was evident, and in just 10 minutes after the restart he still managed five tackles.

This was not a poor display, but timing worked against him. With Itoje returning to the starting XV and reclaiming the captaincy, Coles is likely to make way despite doing little wrong.

Replacement: Maro Itoje