Fiji beat England for the primary time with a 30-22 victory at Twickenham on Saturday because the hosts accomplished a woeful Rugby World Cup warm-up marketing campaign.
The Pacific islanders, 8-3 down at halftime, totally deserved their win as each groups scored three tries. The reverse means England head to the World Cup in France on a run of 5 defeats in six matches, after struggling their first win to a present tier-two nation.
Stream Over 50 Sports Live & On-Demand with Kayo. Join now and begin streaming immediately >
Fiji have been 12 factors forward early within the second half. Although England closed to inside some extent, the guests pulled clear with a attempt seven minutes from time by alternative Simione Kuruvoli.
England desperately wanted a win forward of a troublesome Pool D World Cup opener towards Argentina in Marseille on September 9, however as a substitute suffered a defeat that raised recent questions on their defence.
Fiji, in the meantime, will likely be buoyant within the run-up to a World Cup they start towards Wales — the staff they knocked out in 2007 in France — in Bordeaux on September 10.
“I am so proud of the boys, this win is for all the people back home in Fiji,” wing Selestino Ravutaumada, the player-of-the-match, advised Amazon Prime.
“The result is good, huge pride in the team and the way they have prepared,” Fiji coach Simon Raiwalui advised Amazon Prime.
“We knew the areas teams would come against us. We’ve done three or four sessions per day at times, we’ve taken them to the limit and they’ve come through.”
He added: “There’s a very good team spirit at the moment and a good feeling within the group.”
England captain Courtney Lawes, profitable his one centesimal cap, admitted: “It is just not good enough. We are where we are at the minute and all we can do is push on.
“We need to get our attack together. We are just turning over too many penalties and today we didn’t attack well enough.”
England coach Steve Borthwick stated: “I’m very confident with the all the people involved in the team — the players, the coaches, the management.
“This isn’t the result that we wanted and we’re all disappointed. But the focus is to make sure we put in the performance we need against Argentina.
“We’ve got a very good group of talented players who we are sure will play exceptionally well against Argentina. I’m very happy with the squad we’ve got.”
England kicked-off with out common captain Owen Farrell and No 8 Billy Vunipola following the pair’s current purple playing cards.
The skilled George Ford, taking part in at fly-half as a substitute of Farrell, kicked England into an early lead with a penalty in entrance of 56,854 spectators — a much smaller attendance than the greater than 80,000 that watched world champions South Africa inflict a report 35-7 defeat upon New Zealand at Twickenham on Friday.
Recalled wing Jonny May ended England’s greater than six-hour look forward to a attempt by a again when he fended off his reverse man earlier than going over within the nook within the ninth minute after sharp passing by scrum-half Alex Mitchell.
Ford missed the conversion however England have been 8-0 forward.
As rain lashed down, Fiji’s first assault ended with Caleb Muntz kicking a penalty.
The moist climate, accompanied by thunder and lightning, made dealing with troublesome. With Fiji right down to 14 males after prop Eroni Mawi was sin-binned for knocking down a maul, England pressed for a attempt from an attacking lineout.
But Fiji’s defence held and England needed to be content material with an 8-3 lead at halftime.
Early within the second half, Ravutaumada beat May and located Waisea Nayacalevu on his inside.
With Muntz changing, Fiji, regardless of nonetheless being a person down, led 10-8. They went additional forward within the 52nd minute when left wing Vinaya Habosi burst by way of a ruck for a attempt.
Muntz once more transformed and the fly-half’s penalty 4 minutes later prolonged Fiji’s result in 12 factors.
England pulled a attempt again heading into the ultimate quarter when alternative Marcus Smith raced on to Ford’s chip forward.
With Ford changing, 2019 World Cup finalists England have been simply 5 factors behind.
But following Mitchell’s excessive deal with, Muntz made it 5 from 5 from the tee with a 46-metre penalty.
England hit again when alternative again Joe Marchant went in for a attempt on the nook.
Ford transformed. Fiji led by simply 23-22 with 12 minutes remaining however scored subsequent after controlling possession following a knock-on on the restart by England alternative scrum-half Danny Care.
The sidestepping Ravutaumada proved an excessive amount of for England’s defence and he despatched in Kuruvoli for a attempt between the posts duly transformed by Muntz.
Source web site: www.foxsports.com.au
