England secured a commanding 66-8 victory over Fiji at Anfield, ending a run of defeats and showcasing a potent attacking performance. The win, which saw Henry Pollock score a hat-trick, was bolstered by Fiji having a player sent off in the first half, reducing them to 14 men for the remainder of the match.
After a loss to South Africa the previous weekend, England displayed renewed impetus. Fly-half Fin Smith initiated an early try, with a crossfield kick to Tommy Freeman bouncing off the corner flag and allowing Marcus Smith to score. This set the tone for an England side that struggled with ruck speed against South Africa but found more space and fluidity against Fiji.
England's forward pack, including captain Jamie George at the bottom of a driving maul, contributed to their second try. The team expanded their lead, with players like Ben Earl and Freeman nearly adding further scores through clever kicks. Jack van Poortvliet also added pace to England's attack.
Guy Pepper scored a third try shortly after Fiji's Lekima Tagitagivalu was shown a yellow card. Janse van Rensburg then added a fourth from close range. Seb Atkinson further extended the lead to 35-3 with a try following sharp footwork from Marcus Smith and an offload from Van Poortvliet.
Fiji's challenge was significantly hampered when scrum-half Simione Kuruvoli received a straight red card just before halftime for a deliberate, violent act. This left Fiji with 14 players for the entire second half.
Despite conceding the first try of the second half to Fiji's captain Tevita Ikanivere, England reasserted control. Pollock, a second-half replacement, thrived in the open field and scored three tries. His first came from a kick ahead, his second from an arcing run, and his third in the final minute, mirroring the goal celebration of footballer Jude Bellingham.
England's scrum-half Alex Mitchell was forced off with an injury late in the game, with Fin and Marcus Smith sharing duties at the breakdown. Pollock now has six tries in 12 Test appearances, with all but one coming from the bench. Head coach Steve Borthwick may consider starting Pollock in England's upcoming match against Argentina.
The match featured the following teams:
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.