England 21-10 Fiji – Rugby World Cup quarter-final LIVE: Viliame Mata cuts the deficit with superb try after early scores from Manu Tuilagi and Joe Marchant… as Steve Borthwick’s side take a commanding lead at the break

England take the lead into the break after Manu Tuilagi and Joe Marchant both cross the tryline in the first half.

It was a physical 40 minutes of rugby with both England and Fiji showing their power at the breakdown and in the tackle.

Fiji got a try back after Viliame Mata crashed over the try line to get one back for Fiji.

Lomani kept the scoreboard ticking over for Fiji but missed two penalties in the first half, with Owen Farrell kicking three to keep England ahead.

We’re five minutes to half-time and England have won a penalty here thanks to some briliant counter rucking.

They manage to force Fiji to concede a penalty in their own half, with the Pacific Islanders unable to secure the ball after taking it into contact.

Farrell makes no mistake from the tee, putting England 21-10 up.

Fiji bring the ball back upfield at the restart and England have halted them in their tracks, with Ben Earl dominating at the breakdown to win another penalty.

Owen Farrell has just put the score up to 18-10 with a penalty.

Habosi is meanwhile back on the pitch following his yellow card.

It was reviewed by the bumker review system but it was adjudged not to be deserved of a red card after Smith had seemed to change direction immediately before the tackle.

Courtney Lawes ahs just been picked up and escorted off the pitch by Lomani and several of his team-mates in what is a huge tackle on the towering blindside!

We spoke about their brilliant offloading game at the start of the match and they’ve absolutely torn England’s defence open there.

It’s Mata who crashes over under the posts for the Fijians after several phases of play, with the Pacific Islanders throwing some excellent offloads.

Tom Curry was treading a tightrope there too as it looked as though he had made a high tackle in the build up.

Fiji have another shot at goal thanks to England’s poor discipline at the breakdown again but England get lucky, with the scrum half sending the ball wide of the posts.

It’s unfortunate for the Fijian wing as it seemed like Smith had made a change in direction, yet it is a yellow card for Habosi after he clashed heads with Marcus Smith in the phases before Tuilagi’s try.

We’ve just seen a nasty picture of Smith and his shirt is totally covered in blood after the high tackle.

The TMO is reviewing this – it looks like there might have been a high tackle on Marcus Smith in the build up here.

But Joe Marchant has just crashed over for England’s second try.

Stunning read of the play from Maro Itoje! He steps out of the England back line at the exact right moment to intercept the pass and break forward around 50m upfield.

None of the Fijian defenders can get him, with the second row using his strong hand off to fend off the tacklers.

But his work comes to no avail.

The referee has pulled play back to the England 22, after Tom Curry was seen by the TMO to have made a no arms tackle.

Fiji convert the penalty to get three points on the boaard.

We’re back underway after the try and Marcus Smith has picked up the ball in midfield.

He dances his way into a swarm of Fijian defenders but gets isolated, with the Fijian’s showing their brilliance at the ruck to turn the ball over.

They win a penalty but can’t convert!

Tuilagi crashes over on the left wing after a brilliant piece of play from the England forwards driving at the line from a lineout.

It’s his first England try in two years after scoring against the Spring Boks.

He receives the ball at the back of the break down with Mitchell popping the ball off to him on the left, and he still has a lot of work to do to touch down over the line – twisting away from the Fiji defenders to get the first try of the match.

Farrell cant convert – hitting the post!

But Fiji can’t make good their field position and England advance up the other end of the field.

They’ve won a penalty in front of the posts for a high tackle on Manu Tuilagi and Owen Farrell slots the ball through the posts to get England’s first score of the match.

7′ England have conceded two penalties already after being isolated at the breakdown and Fiji are now able to put the pressure on their opponents going for touch with the penalty kick from around half-way.

Meanwhile, the Princess of Wales has been spotted in the audience a day after Prince William and Prince George were spotted watching Wales’ defeat to Argentina.

It’s been a physical opening three minutes.

England’s brick wall defence have put some huge hits in so far.

Owen Farrell also left a slightly late shot in on his opposite number Botiu.

That was a close one but the refree waves play on.

Farrell gets us underway! He sends it down into the Fijian 22 and they return the ball back upfield.

Smith collects at full-back and plays the ball out wide. England crash the ball forward and enjoyed a bright piece of possession play. But they conceed a penalty and it’s Fiji in possession.

Looks like England are kicking off first!

Here’s a quick re-cap on the starting line-ups.

England XV: 15 Smith; 14 May, 13 Marchant, 12 Tuilagi, 11 Daly;10 Farrell (capt), 9 Mitchell; 1 Genge, 2 George, 3 Cole, 4 Itoje, 5 Chessum, 6 Lawes, 7 Curry, 8 Earl.

Replacements: Dan, Marler, Sinckler, Martin, Vunipola, Care, Ford, Lawrence.

Fiji XV: 15 Droasese; 14 Habosi, 13 Nayacalevu (capt), 12 Tuisova, 11 Radradra; 10 Botitu, 9 Lomani; 1 Mawi, 2 Ikanivere, 3 Tagi, 4 Nasilasila, 5 Tuisue, 6 Tagitagivalu, 7 Botia, 8 Mata.

Replacements: Matavesi, Ravai, Doge, Derenalagi, Miramira, Kuruvoli, Masi, Maqala.

Plenty of England and Fiji fans in the house today as well. But we’ve spotted plenty of other shirts too including several golden Australian australian shirts.

A word from our reporter Nik Simon who is at Stade Velodrome today…

‘Biggest cheers of the team announcement go to Marcus Smith and George Ford. Smith is the golden boy wherever he goes.

‘It’s harder to gauge the reaction for Owen Farrell – the noise goes up but it almost sounds like a groan of disapproval.’

Speaking to ITV Sport ahead of the match Fiji head coach Simon Raiwalui said his side were looking to enjoy the occasion today.

‘We have gone into this week to enjoy the occasion and try and free the boys up a little bit.

‘England have improved since the warm-up game, they are a good tournament team with good basics and they will try a tactical game to try and exploit us.

‘We have picked the team on form, the strength of the group is with 33 players ready to go and the 23 will do the job today.’

A win today will book Fiji a place in the semi-finals of the Rugby World Cup for the first time in their last three appearances at the tournament.

And forwards coach Graham Dewes says his side are high in confidence ahead of the match.

‘We don’t plan to do it but things happen on the day. When we play the tier-one nations, if we get it right we put them to sleep.’

This will be Marcus Smith’s second game starting at full-back after an excellent performance at the base of the back three against Chile.

During that game, he scored twice to help England complete a huge 71-0 victory against the South American side.

He was dropped for Freddie Steward in the following match against Samoa. The Leicester No 15 notably scored during England’s win against Japan, taking a cross field kick from George Ford to dot down in the corner.

Yet former Harlequins and England full-back, Mike Brown, has had his say on the decision to play Smith at full-back.

‘If Scott Robertson had been given the England job instead of Steve Borthwick, then Marcus would probably be the starting fly-half.

‘It would be his team and he would have been given time, comfort, guidance and support to flourish in that position. Ultimately you want Marcus in the team because he’s one of the most promising players in the world and he’s brilliant to watch.’

Steve Borthwick has also been speaking on today’s opposition.

Fiji have enjoyed a brilliant campaign so far, having reached the knockout stages for the first time in their last four Rugby World Cup appearances.

‘Clearly this Fijian team is packed full of power and pace and is clearly very confident,’ Borthwick told ITV Sport.

‘The messages they’ve been putting out publicly show they’re a very confident team coming into this game.

‘For us, we need to make sure all our players, one to 15, all the bench that come on to the pitch, are alive for every second of the game today.’

Ahead of the match, Steve Borthwick has spoken on his decision to bring Marcus Smith and Owen Farrel in at No 10 and No 15 in place of George Ford and Freddie Steward.

The decision has raised eyebrows among many supporters but Borthwick said to ITV Sport ahead of the match that the decision shows just how much depth his squad has.

‘The first thing you’d say is what a sign of the great strength and depth this team and squad has. We’ve got 33 fit players all of incredible quality. All desperate to be on the pitch today. As ever I go through that process [picking his team] the plan we wish to play, the team we’re playing against and get the right blend of players for the performance we want on the day.

‘I can’t wait to see these players go today.’

Sir Clive Woodward has branded the decision to omit Henry Arundell from today’s match against Fiji as ‘madness’.

‘On the whole, the team still isn’t quick enough for me — even if it should be good enough to beat Fiji. I still don’t understand why Henry Arundell can’t get a game,’ the 2003 World Cup winning coach wrote in his column with Mail Sport.

‘To me, it’s absolute madness. What a waste it is to have a player of Arundell’s undoubted quality carrying the water.

‘I would have him at full back alongside a couple of the flyers who did not even make the trip. Overall, from one to 15, this is not a fast enough team to win a World Cup.’

After his stand out performance scoring five tries during England’s victory against Chile, Henry Arundell was omitted from the team’s last outing against Samoa and today’s match against Fiji.

The decision has left many England Supporters scratching their heads.

Reports emerged earlier this week that there had been some words exchanged between the England captain, Farrell, and the winger that had upset Arundell.

Today, Steve Borthwick has opted to pick Elliot Daly and Jonny May as his wide men. And while both players have performed well during the tournament, questions have been raised over whether Arundell deserves to start.

Let us know whether you think Arundell should have featured in this afternoon’s match in the comments.

It’s approximately 50 days since Fiji defeated England for the first time in their history at Twickenham in a resounding 22-30 triumph and Simon Raiwalui’s side will be buoyed in confidence having also defeated Australia during the group stages of the World Cup.

Fiji possess bags of quality all around the park. They are physical, quick and will most likely look to break through England’s defence today with their fast hands and excellent offloading skill.

At the breakdown, Levani Botia will be a huge weapon Fiji will look to deploy to slow down England’s attack. He is perhaps one of the best jacklers in World Rugby at the moment and will be a menace on the deck for Borthwick’s side.

He’s partnered in the back row today by No 8 Viliame ‘Bill’ Mata, who is one of the biggest carriers in the Fijian side and can be dangerous with his brilliant offloading play.

Sam Matavesi has moved to the bench following the death of his father, Sireli, with Tevita Ikanivere coming in to the front row in his place.

Albert Tuisue has also come in to add more ballast at second row.

Fiji XV: Droasese; Habosi, Nayacalevu (capt), Tuisova, Radradra; Botitu, Lomani; Mawi, Ikanivere, Tagi, Nasilasila, Tuisue, Tagitagivalu, Botia, Mata.

Replacements: Matavesi, Ravai, Doge, Derenalagi, Miramira, Kuruvoli, Masi, Maqala.

Ahead of today’s game, Mail Sport’s columnist Sir Clive Woodward has said that Sunday afternoon’s game against Fiji may be the biggest test in Steve Borthwick’s career.

‘Here comes the biggest day in Steve Borthwick’s coaching career. Knockout rugby brings incredible pressure,’ he wrote.

‘It’s win or bust. If England beat Fiji in Marseille, then Borthwick will have taken his side into a World Cup semi-final.

‘For a team like England that should not be the ultimate ambition because, given the country’s playing numbers and pedigree, we should always be aiming to win the tournament.’

We’re not far away from kick-off which is scheduled for 4pm (GMT) and England are on their way to the Stade Velodrome in Marseille.

Are England caught between playing styles?

In some ways, the ammount of talent Steve Borthwick has to choose from is not a bad thing, but it seems his selection calls of late have raised eyebrows among many.

Mail Sport’s columnist Mike Brown is one of them, who believes picking Marcus Smith at full-back instead of Freddie Smith shows that England may be scratching their heads when it comes to figuring out the style of rugby they want to play.

Smith will come into the side for his second start at No 15, while Owen Farrell will also take the No 10 shirt with George Ford, who has impressed at fly-half so far during the tournament dropping to the bench.

England XV: 15 Smith; 14 May, 13 Marchant, 12 Tuilagi, 11 Daly;10 Farrell (capt), 9 Mitchell; 1 Genge, 2 George, 3 Cole, 4 Itoje, 5 Chessum, 6 Lawes, 7 Curry, 8 Earl.

Replacements: Dan, Marler, Sinckler, Martin, Vunipola, Care, Ford, Lawrence.

Welcome to Mail Sport’s coverage of England against Fiji! We’re gearing up for a huge afternoon of rugby as England look to book their place in the semi-finals of the Rugby World Cup with a victory this afternoon.

But it will be a tough match, with the Pacific Islanders in flying form coming into this quarter-final clash.

Steve Borthwick’s side haven’t been at their best throghout the tournament, but have managed to stay unbeaten so far in the group stages, claiming wins against Argentina, Samoa, Chile and Japan.

Fiji come into this game having already beaten Borthwick’s side this summer, their first victory over England at Twickenham in August.

Whoever advances form this huge clash will have a tough match ahead of them. They’ll play the victor of tonight’s monumental clash between France and South Africa.

So stay with us as we’ll be bringing you all the latest team news next!