England started their Autumn Nations campaign brilliantly with a 25-7 win over Australia. This week the test window truly opens and England will be taking on Fiji. To many this is the game that England are expected to win comfortably but it would be foolish to overlook their opponents this weekend. Fiji qualified automatically for the 2027 World Cup with their performance in 2023 and were one of only 12 teams to do so. During that year they took on England twice. The first of those games was a warm-up for the World Cup in an unusually empty Twickenham with England at a low ebb. Things only got worse for the home team as Fiji managed to pull off an upset to record their first ever win over England. The two teams met once again in the quarter-finals of the ensuing tournament and England only won very narrowly. Borthwick's men now look like a much better team, but Fiji are not to be taken lightly.
This Fiji team is full of stars including some that will be familiar to regular viewers of the Gallagher Prem. Eroni Mawi is a regular starter for Saracens whilst Mayanavanua is a former Saint and Ravouvou is a star for the Bristol Bears. The pace and power that Fiji have in abundance will come as no surprise to the average fan, but what has changed in recent years is the addition of structure. Caleb Muntz, and now Armstrong-Ravula, are players that excel in the kicking game and managing territory to put their stars in the best position possible. This now allows Fiji to be more of a multi-faceted team that then is able to legitimately compete with the best in the World.
England will have to counter those dangers with a rotated team. In the front row, some players have swapped between the starting XV and the bench, but the only personnel change is the addition of Opoku-Fordjour in place of Stuart. The big news in the pack is Maro Itoje dropping to the bench, which means that Ellis Genge joins him as co-captain, and Alex Coles starts next to Ollie Chessum. In the back row, Sam Underhill drops out of the side and Cunningham-South starts at no.8 with Ben Earl moving to 7. Guy Pepper stays at 6 with Curry and Pollock hoping to have a similar impact in the second-half to the one that they had against Australia. At fly-half, Fin Smith is back at 10 with his club teammate Alex Mitchell. Their fellow Saint, Fraser Dingwall, is joined by Ollie Lawrence in midfield with Tommy Freeman moving back out to the wing in the absence of Tom Roebuck. The biggest news in the back-line is the inclusion of Marcus Smith at fullback after an injury to Freddie Steward. He started England's World Cup quarter-final against Fiji in 2023 and will probably face a similarly physical challenge in this game. Henry Arundell will hope to bring the fireworks on his return to Twickenham.
England
Starting XV
1.Ellis Genge(CC) 2.Luke Cowan-Dickie 3.Joe Heyes 4.Alex Coles 5.Ollie Chessum
6.Guy Pepper 7.Ben Earl 8.Chandler Cunningham-South 9.Alex Mitchell 10.Fin Smith
11.Immanuel Feyi-Waboso 12.Fraser Dingwall 13.Ollie Lawrence 14.Tommy Freeman 15.Marcus Smith
Bench
16.Jamie George 17.Fin Baxter 18.Asher Opoku-Fordjour 19.Maro Itoje(C)
20.Tom Curry 21.Henry Pollock 22.Ben Spencer 23.Henry Arundell
Fiji
Starting XV
1.Eroni Mawi 2.Tevita Ikanivere 3.Mesake Doge 4.Isoa Nasilasila 5.Temo Mayanavanua
6.Kitione Salawa 7.Elia Canakaivata 8.Viliame 9.Simione Kuruvoli 10.Caleb Muntz
11.Jiuta Wainiqolo 12.Josua Tuisova 13.Kalaveti Ravouvou 14.Selestino Ravutaumada 15.Salesi Rayasi
Bench
16.Zuriel Togiatama 17.Haereiti Hetet 18.Samuela Tawake 19.Mesake Vocevoce
20.Motikai Murray 21.Sam Wye 22.Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula 23.Sireli Maqala
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