Eleven-try England thrash sorry Fiji to end losing run

Nations Championship - round two

Fiji (3) 8

Try: Ikanivere, Pen: Muntz

England (35) 73

Tries: M Smith, George, Pepper, Janse van Rensburg, Atkinson, Feyi-Waboso, Pollock (3), Slade, Caluori Cons: F Smith (9)

Replacement Henry Pollock scored a second-half hat-trick as England cruised to victory and ended a five-Test losing streak against an ill-disciplined and disjointed Fiji in Liverpool.

Playing against 14 men for half the match after scrum-half Simione Kuruvoli was shown a straight red for a kick out at Ellis Genge, England raced away to their largest ever win over Fiji.

Immanuel Feyi-Waboso's acrobatic finish down the left wing and Pollock's treble, all celebrated in style, brought loud cheers from the Hill Dickinson Stadium's 50,209-strong crowd after the break.

Elsewhere Bristol's South African-born centre Benhard Janse van Rensburg and Saracens' teenage wing sensation Noah Caluori made try-scoring Test debuts from the bench.

England were as comprehensive winners as the scoreline suggested, but the value of the victory has to be assessed in the context of a rabble of a performance from Fiji.

The Pacific Islanders famously beat England at Twickenham in August 2023, and came close to doing so again when the teams met in the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals a few weeks later.

When they met in the autumn, in the midst of an England winning streak, Fiji had been within three points on the hour mark, before fading to a 38-18 loss.

This version however, never looked like having the consistency and cohesion to condemn England to a sixth successive Test defeat – a run of form which would have been their worst in 20 years.

More to follow

Fiji: Rayasi; Karaivalevu, Ravouvou, Tuisova, Wainiqolo; Muntz, Kuruvoli; Mawi, Ikanivere, Doge, Ratuva, Nasilasila, Yato, Tagitagivalu, Botia

Replacements: Matavesi, Matave, Ravai, Mayanavanua, Canakivata, Sovakula, Lomani, Armstrong-Ravula

England: M Smith; Freeman, Slade, Atkinson, Feyi-Waboso; F Smith, Van Poortvliet; Genge, George, Heyes, Coles, Martin, Chessum, Pepper, Earl.

Replacements: Cowan-Dickie, Opoku-Fordjour, Kloska, Curry, Pollock, Mitchell, Janse van Rensburg, Caluori.

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