After a 38-18 victory for England over Fiji on Saturday, here’s our five takeaways from the Autumn Nations Series fixture at Allianz Stadium Twickenham.
The top line
England were made to work for control against a Fiji side that arrived with intent, clarity, pace, physicality and a tactical edge that unsettled the hosts from the outset. Fiji’s ability to stretch the field, dominate the maul and win collisions gave them early momentum, and England’s decision to play loose and chase width only amplified the threat.
For 50 nervy minutes, England looked reactive in chasing their ninth consecutive win and got drawn into a game that suited Fiji’s strengths. For all money, looked as if they might struggle to ultimately overcome the Pacific Island brilliance.
The shift came with the introduction of England’s bench, led by the outstanding Tom Curry and ably supported by Henry Pollock, Henry Arundell and Jamie George. Curry’s new found lineout execution was flawless, and his breakdown work brought the control England had lacked, with Jamie George adding composure and direction, finishing a maul try that marked the moment England began to assert themselves.
Asher Opoku-Fordjour carried with bite and presence, while Pollock showed maturity in his decision-making, working tirelessly around the fringes to keep the ball alive.
For the second week running, player of the match Ben Earl was England’s constant, ranking high on the tackle count and leading the carry with conviction throughout despite a positional change for the superb back-rower. His influence never dipped, and his ability to reset tempo and win collisions kept England in the contest when momentum was slipping.
Fiji were superb, and once again demonstrated they are ready to dine with the best at rugby’s top table. But England’s bench brought clarity and control at the right moment, and the final quarter belonged to the men in white. England won’t be happy with the manner they played, but the mark of a good side is finding a way to win, and that is precisely what England did courtesy of Curry and co.
English ambition curbed
Once again at Twickenham, and once again against England, Fiji brought the very best version of themselves on tour and they were magnificent despite the loss. Their historic 30–22 win in August 2023 removed any sense of intimidation about facing England and their narrow 30-24 loss in the World Cup quarter-final confirmed they not only belong at the top table but thrive when given the chance to challenge England’s structure with their blend of power, pace and unpredictability.
Their cohesion, physicality and clarity in contact gave them control from the outset; playing flat, fast and with conviction, they exposed England in ways few sides have managed and they carried with purpose, dominated the maul and owned the breakdown, asking questions that demanded a response of real substance.
England, for long stretches, played a game that suited Fiji perfectly; loose, unstructured and full of risk, and to their folly, they consistently chased width early, forced offloads under pressure and gave Fiji the kind of open contest they relish.
It took the arrival of Curry and George to shift the balance, with supporting acts from the two Henrys, Pollock and Arundell. Curry brought urgency and technical edge, grabbing three lineouts with precision and changing the breakdown picture with his timing and presence.
George, composed and authoritative, anchored the maul and finished the try that marked the turning point, whilst Pollock revelled in the flash stuff, working with intelligence and urgency around the fringes, hitting cleanouts and keeping the ball alive with a maturity that spoke volumes.
Then we had that man Arundell; he burst onto the Twickenham turf and it took him less than a minute to show just why England have fast tracked him back as he left the whole of Fiji watching as he ignited the afterburners to chase down a kick that for all money looked to be going dead.
Fiji had set the standard early on, but England’s bench met it with clarity and control; not by finding something new, but by remembering what works and what the England’s DNA is. Once more, it took the muscle memory and rugby intellects of Curry and George to lead that response.
Defence fails to shine
England came into this game with a defensive record that had stood up to scrutiny this year. Their tackle completion, defensive line integrity and breakdown control had been consistent, and their ability to shut down opposition momentum had been a defining feature of their recent performances.
But in this first half against Fiji, that defensive excellence was tested and found wanting against a side that brought big men and big power to the contest.
Josua Tuisova, Pita-Gus Sowakula and Kalaveti Ravouvou carried directly, with a clear plan of targeting England’s inside shoulders and forcing defenders to absorb contact on the back foot, getting through the home team’s double teaming with sheer power. The collisions were decisive and almost always went the way of the men in blue, with England’s line bent early and often.
Much to England’s dismay, the tackle count made (and, at times, missed) began to climb without the usual dominance in contact, with Chandler Cunningham-South and Guy Pepper struggling with the power of the collision and losing clear-out after clear-out.
England’s midfield defence, particularly around the 10/12 channel, was stretched by Fiji’s ability to play flat and fast. The missed tackles told their own story – 12 in the first half alone, and they were the key moments where Fiji imposed their rhythm and England lost theirs.
The ever dependable Earl led the resistance, but even his work rate couldn’t stem the flow as Fiji’s forwards punched through and their backs ran off the shoulder with precision. The result was a half where Fiji’s contact dominance gave them the platform to play, and England’s defensive system, usually so reliable, struggled to hold shape under pressure.
Absence of patience and precision
England’s best rugby has always come from layered pressure combined with winning collisions. When they build through phases, trust their shape and allow their carriers to work in rhythm, they become a side that suffocates opponents rather than chases them.
For the first 50 minutes against Fiji, they forgot to do this and they played with too much looseness, losing contact, forcing offloads, chasing width early and inviting the kind of chaos that Fiji thrive on, literally giving them the platform of openness they crave.
The Ellis Genge try was a turning point, not just in the scoreline but in approach and pure English pragmatism. For once, it came after sustained possession, with England finally leaning into their strengths and showing patience.
Earl was central to the build-up, carrying with control and clarity, winning collisions and resetting the tempo. His 14 tackles and 8 carries to that point had already marked him as England’s most influential forward. Ollie Lawrence added the balance in the backline with his ability to hold defenders, step into space and carry with purpose which at times created the momentum England needed.
Lawrence had made 11 carries for 78 metres before the try, and his presence in midfield gave England the directness they had lacked earlier in the game.
Genge finished with trademark force, but England should note that the score was built on multi-phase pressure. England’s path to dominance lies in structure, patience and the relentless work of players like Earl and Lawrence. When they remember that, they control games. When they forget, they drift.
Card call
Selestino Ravutaumada’s yellow card in the 37th minute was a flashpoint in a half dominated by Fiji’s physicality and a moment that perhaps just turned the course of the match. The incident came as Immanuel Feyi-Waboso chased a high ball near halfway, timing his leap well and rising to claim possession.
Arriving at speed from deep, Ravutaumada launched into the contest with full commitment, eyes fixed on the ball, but misjudged the moment as the England winger got up early into the jump to own the aerial space. Sadly, for the Fijian wing, his timing was missing and his shoulder made contact with Feyi-Waboso mid-air, sending the England wing spinning dangerously toward the turf.
It was a collision that drew immediate attention from the officials, and rightly so. Under Law 9.17, players must not tackle or charge an opponent whose feet are off the ground. The referee and TMO reviewed the footage, assessing the level of danger, the point of contact, and the intent.
What saved Ravutaumada from a red card was not just his focus on the ball, but Feyi-Waboso’s remarkable ability to twist in the air and land on his side rather than his head. Under the letter of the law, that instinctive movement by the England wing reduced the risk of serious injury and shifted the sanction from foul play to reckless contact.
The yellow card was a measured decision and on balance, the right call although one as close as you like. It acknowledged the danger without overstating the intent but Ravutaumada’s moment was a reminder of the fine margins in the aerial contest and it was surprising that England, for once, failed to use the aerial game to their advantage.