England concluded a streak of five consecutive losses with an overwhelming 73-8 triumph against Fiji in their Nations Championship fixture. The team scored 11 tries, easing pressure on head coach Steve Borthwick. However, the lopsided scoreline reflects Fiji's underperformance.
Henry Pollock made a significant impact off the bench, scoring a second-half hat-trick. Fly-half Fin Smith was a standout performer, demonstrating good intent with early cross-kicks and strong kicking from the tee, earning an 8.5 rating. Alex Coles was noted for his effective work in the tight five, displaying good hands and a willingness to perform the necessary groundwork, securing good line-out ball.
Other notable performances included Ollie Chessum, who was instrumental in a dominant forward effort, and Guy Pepper, who scored a try by identifying a gap through the ruck. England captain Jamie George also contributed with a try. Several players earned a 7 rating, including Ellis Genge and Asher Opoku-Fordjour from the replacements.
Despite the convincing win, the result does not immediately resolve all of England's challenges, especially given Fiji's performance. Borthwick's selections, including those of Pepper, Benhard Janse van Rensburg, and Noah Caluori, proved effective, but tougher tests lie ahead. The strong showing from Henry Pollock is likely to increase pressure for him to be included in future squads.
The match saw a red card for Fiji's Simione Kuruvoli. Fiji's player ratings were generally low, with Simione Kuruvoli receiving a 2, and Salesi Rayasi and Vuate Karawalevu receiving 4s. Levani Botia also received a low rating of 3.
The attendance at Everton's Hill Dickinson Stadium was 50,209.