The XV de la Rose will not arrive at the Rugby World Cup in the best conditions. Saturday at Twickenham, Fiji indeed beat England for the first time in their history (30-22) in a preparation match for the World Cup which will take place in France from September 8 to October 28.
Beaten 34-17 by France a week ago in Nantes, the Fijians were able to bounce back perfectly by inflicting a worrying – and deserved – defeat on the English, who recorded their fifth defeat in six games. England’s only victory in this series dates back to August 12, with a short success against Wales (19-17).
A vastly overhauled England squad
Above all, going back to last December, when Steve Borthwick replaced Eddie Jones as coach, England have only three victories. For his final outing before the World Cup, Borthwick, had yet made nine changes from the team defeated by Ireland (29-10) in Dublin last week. Without effect.
Both teams scored three tries each, by England’s Jonny May (9), Marcus Smith (57) and Joe Marchant (68), and England’s Waisea Nayacalevu (43), Vinaya Habosi (52) and Simione Kuruvoli (72) Fijians.
“I’m proud of the boys, this victory is for all the Fijian people,” exulted winger Selestino Ravutaumada, voted player of the match, on Amazon Prime. England captain Courtney Lawes, for his 100th selection, for his part admitted that the XV of the Rose was “not good enough and not in its place at the moment”. “All we can do is keep moving forward,” he said again.
But for the English, time is running out to rectify the situation. England will make their World Cup debut on September 9 against Argentina in Marseille. Borthwick will be deprived for the occasion of two of its executives, suspended, the opener and captain Owen Farrell and the third line Billy Vunipola.
Borthwick remains confident
“This is not the result we wanted and we are all disappointed. But the objective is to get the necessary performance against Argentina, ”commented the coach on Saturday. “I have been with other England teams in the past who, when they played under pressure, in difficult circumstances, when faced with adversity comparable to the challenges we face, fell apart. My feeling is that my group is tightening even more and we are impatient to arrive at this World Cup, ”he added, saying he was convinced of the quality and talent of his players.
The Fijians, who will enter their World Cup on September 10 against Wales in Bordeaux, were up to 12 points clear in the second half but the English came back to one point before Fijian substitute Simione Kuruvoli scored. a last try seven minutes from the end, synonymous with historic success.