England face an anxious wait over the fitness of Immanuel Feyi-Waboso and Seb Atkinson after both players limped off during the record 45-22 Nations Championship win over Australia at Twickenham on Sunday.

Feyi-Waboso, the 23-year-old Exeter Chiefs wing, needed treatment to his right ankle late in the first half and did not return for the second half. He was later seen wearing a protective boot, and head coach Steve Borthwick said the injury would require further investigation.

Atkinson, the inside centre, took a blow to his hip in the second half and left the field with the help of a physiotherapist. Borthwick played down the severity of Atkinson’s injury, but was more cautious about Feyi-Waboso, who is now a doubt for Saturday’s match against Japan at Twickenham.

A record win with a cost

England’s victory was their biggest ever points total in a Test against Australia, with seven tries in a performance that eased the pressure on Borthwick after a difficult week. Henry Pollock, who replaced Feyi-Waboso at half-time, scored two tries in two minutes after switching to the wing, a position he had never played before at this level.

Feyi-Waboso had been central to England’s bright start. He scorched through a gap in the Australian defence inside the first two minutes, only for the try to be disallowed after replays showed a forward pass earlier in the move. He continued to threaten throughout the first half, repeatedly punching holes in the Wallabies defence and helping to set up Ollie Chessum’s try.

He was also on the receiving end of the first hip-drop tackle to be penalised since World Rugby outlawed the technique this month, with Australian loosehead prop Angus Bell shown a yellow card for the challenge.

What Borthwick said

Speaking after the match, Borthwick said it was too early to say whether either player would be available for the Japan game. On Feyi-Waboso, he said the wing’s ankle injury needed a scan and further assessment, while Atkinson’s hip problem appeared less serious.

Borthwick said of the pair: “We’re talking days to recover, maybe not available next weekend, but it’s really too early for me to say that.” England’s medical staff will assess both players at the start of the week before a decision is made on the squad for Japan.

The timing is awkward for England, who face Japan on Saturday 14 November before a meeting with New Zealand at Twickenham on 21 November. Feyi-Waboso has become one of England’s most valuable attacking weapons, and his pace and power were a key part of the game plan against Australia.

Cover in the squad

If Feyi-Waboso is ruled out, Borthwick has options. Pollock showed against Australia that he can fill in on the wing, scoring twice in a remarkable two-minute burst after moving out of the back row. In the wider squad, England also have centres Fraser Dingwall and Max Ojomoh, who usually play inside centre, as well as Joe Marchant and Will Joseph, who cover the outside centre role.

Young wing Noah Caluori, 20, is another possible replacement for Feyi-Waboso. Caluori has been tipped as a ready-made stand-in, although he has yet to be tested at this level.

Atkinson’s situation looks more hopeful. Borthwick downplayed the severity of his injury, and the centre may yet recover in time for Japan. But with two Tests left in the autumn series, England will not want to take risks with either player.

England are second in the Northern Hemisphere table of the Nations Championship, two points behind France, after their win over Australia. Australia, meanwhile, travel to Murrayfield to face Scotland on Sunday 15 November.