Thanks for your company everyone. Bye
Here’s the match report
Simon Middleton is reflecting on his England side’s performance
“Really happy with the second half. First half was a real tough game, we’re pleased to get the win under our belt. I’m really happy that we put in place in second half what we said we were going to do after being nervous in first half. Fiji will have a great tournament.”
Victorious captain, Sarah Hunter is giving her view
“Firstly, congrats to Fiji in their first World Cup, that first half they rattled us with their offloading and physicality. We were more composed second half, we went back to being England and managed to put in a good performance. As players we knew we had to up it and get back to our gameplan and process”
FULL TIME!
PEEEEEEEEEEP! That’s the last act of the match.
TRY! Fiji 19 - 84 England (Lavena Cavuru)
80 mins. England infringe out on the right in their own 22 and Cavuru does a quick tap and go to drive over from five metres.
Conversion no good.
78 mins. Donu, who has been Fiji’s player of the day, is still giving it plenty and her latest run has put her side in the England half for the first time in about three months. They are up to eight phases as they test the Red Roses defensive patterns again.
TRY! Fiji 14 - 84 England (Claudia MacDonald)
75 mins. Maud Muir pops the ball to MacDonald on the left touchline and she fends, steps inside and runs a sidewinder diagonal line to score here fourth of the game. She then goes down with some cramp in her calf. As you should after scoring four.
TRY! Fiji 14 - 77 England (Connie Powell)
72 mins. The old lineout routine of catch, maul, destroy souls is employed and Powell – the replacement hooker – is over for England’s THIRTEENTH try of the match.
Updated
TRY! Fiji 14 - 70 England (Claudia MacDonald)
69 mins. Fiji are absolutely shattered, as demonstrated by this MacDonald try. Harrison pinged a cross-kick left to the winger and there wasn’t a white shirt within 30 metres of her.
No extra two as the conversion is missed.
Updated
67 mins. Abby Dow is nearly in again after another Fiji fumble in their own 22 allows the Red Roses to work it quickly to the right touchline. The Fijiana scrambling defence does enough to force her into touch.
TRY! Fiji 14 - 65 England (Leanne Infante)
63 mins. Fiji shorten their lineout in their 22, but it’s all very slow as they try to put it through hands which means Infante can pull off the simplest of interceptions as Ravato throws a laboured pass, five metres out from here own line. Terrible stuff from a defeated and knackered Fiji.
61 mins. I was hoping there might be some fun in this second half, but I fear this is not the case. England have put their full range of imperious weapons on show and it looks like a long last quarter awaits Fiji.
I’m sure England are having fun, though, and they will rightly care little for what it means for the spectacle.
TRY! Fiji 14 - 60 England (Abbie Dow)
59 mins. Who is writing Dow’s scripts? Her first touch sees her bump a tackle out wide and canter over like there’s not been months of injury recovery leading up to this.
Conversion added by Scarratt
57 mins. Poppy Cleall is on for Sarah Hunter and it’s a lovely moment as Abby Dow replaces Lydia Thompson
TRY! Fiji 14 - 53 England (Claudia MacDonald)
56 mins. Hannah Botterman, on in the front row for England, clamps on and rips the ball from Fiji hands in their 22. It’s worked left quickly and MacDonald goes over in the corner.
Difficult conversion from wide left missed by Scarratt.
Updated
TRY! Fiji 14 - 48 England (Lydia Thompson)
52 mins. England are now fully on top and utterly ruthless in the application of their dominance. Another maul on the left sucks in and squashes Fiji defenders and the collective spirit before the ball is fired right through hands for Thomson to score again.
Conversion missed
TRY! Fiji 14 - 43 England (Lydia Thompson)
50 mins. A short burst of possession from Fiji is ended by an England turnover. After Nakoci fields the kick she throws a horrible ground-grubber pass that misses her team-mates, MacDonald is onto it but hauled down by Donu inches short, which only delays the inevitable as Thompson picks up and is over.
Scarratt adds two
47 mins. Fiji sub. Bitila Tawake is on for Vika Matarugu at hooker.
TRY! Fiji 14 - 36 England (Zoe Aldcroft)
45 mins. The Red Roses have noticably gone up a gear since the half. Their intensity in the maul coupled with more shape is a nightmare for Fijiana. England come all the way right off a maul, then as it’s worked all the way left the white defence are all over the place and Aldcroft scores. One of many who were lining up out wide.
Scarratt converts
TRY! Fiji 14 - 29 England (Amy Cockayne)
43 mins. England have a lineout in the Fijiana 22 and Cockayne throws to the back for her forwards to set up another ominous maul. It rumbles forward and over for the hooker to again dab down from the back of the melee.
Scarratt misses another conversion. Not the best day for the England 13.
SECOND HALF!
40 mins. Lavena Cavuru kicks us back into action.
Updated
Half Time Musings.
England know they are in a game here after a fabulous opening half for anyone watching.
Fiji have tested the favourites’ defensive organisation and fitness to the limit with a wide, offloading game alongside some hugely powerful carries from the front row and Karalaini Naisewa. Two tries of the highest quality have been well deserved from the debutants.
But, the Red Roses are not without some class on the ball themselves alloyed with their power and attacking shape. Middleton will empty the bench in the second half and we can expect the fitness, organisation and professionalism to ease them to another win as Fiji will not be able to stop them adding to their four first half tries.
It’s going to be bloody fun to watch though.
HALT TIME! Fiji 14 - 24 England
That conversion brings a brilliant half to a close.
Updated
TRY! Fiji 14 - 24 England (Sesenieli Donu)
40 mins. Another set of solid carries from the impressive Fiji front five gain ground on the right before the ball is sent left to an overlap and disorganised England defence. Donu ignores her outside runners to step inside and go over herself
Conversion slotted.
Updated
TRY! Fiji 7 - 24 England (Helena Rowland)
37 mins. On halfway, Fiji are again on the ball, but England’s defensive ploy of putting very few into the breakdown and fanning across the field is containing the Fijiana. The ball is snaffled in the tackle and Sadia Kabeya cuts a lovely out-to-in angle to break into the open before finding Rowland to score.
Devastating counter-attack.
Scarratt converts
34 mins. England are back up to the Fiji line and just as it looks like a short drive will put another try on the board Hunter can’t grip the ball and spills it forward.
Fiji do a solid job of winning their scrum and clearing the lines. Been a very good five minutes for the Fijiana.
TRY! Fiji 7 - 17 England (Alowesi Nakoci)
29 mins. Oh, this is delightful. Fullback Roela Radiniyavuni drifts across the England tackle line in her own half and just as it looks a little aimless she puts a glorious right foot step on and bursts through the line and into open pasture. As the England defence closes in she fires and pass right to the flying Nakoci and no-once can get near the winger from 30 metres out and the Fijiana are over!
The ball finally sticks and, down to fourteen, Fiji are on the board!
Updated
YELLOW CARD! Sereima Leweniqila
27 mins. The reason the first England maul didn’t walk over the line was the Fiji captain pulled it down and she’s off for 10 mins.
TRY! Fiji 0 - 17 England (Abbie Ward)
26 mins. Another lineout, another maul and Sarah Hunter flings it left to Ward who drives over from short.
Scarratt converts this one.
24 mins. Phases are built by England, but Fiji’s best defensive set in terms of shape and structure eventually isolates a runner and allows Iris Verebalavu to clamp on to win a turnover penalty.
Ema Adivitaloga runs it out forty metres, but England’s scramble defence is as impressive as it is energetic and Claudia MacDonald snaffles her attempting pass back inside.
22 mins. England pin an increasingly tired looking Fiji back in their own half again via the boot, but are penalised at the lineout. Fiji can do little with it as they yet again knock on a simple pass. Back come the Red Roses on the 22.
TRY! Fiji 0 - 10 England (Amy Cockayne)
18 mins. England’s first real phased attack easily punches holes in the Fijian defence with some offloading and powerful, direct running. Aldcroft is nearly over the line and is stopped short, but Fiji are offside.
The penalty goes to the corner and the inevitable catch and drive is walks over and Cockayne does the textbook hooker’s grounding.
Scarratt is wide from the tee again.
Updated
15 mins. For all the Fijian endeavour, England look imperious in the scrum and in their game management in possession. The latest example sees the Red Roses win a penalty as their pack pushes the Fijians back hard.
13 mins. More examples of said Fiji trouble causing as they again come down the right and find the galloping Nakoci. They come back into the middle of the field as the winger is stopped and England can do not but infringe at the breakdown as they are stretched.
Fiji tap and go from the penaly, and Vika Maturugu is over the line but held up by the red tacklers.
A little bit more precision from Fiji and England will have a lot to deal with here.
9 mins. It’s very early, but Fiji look like they will cause England some trouble here. However, the favourites are managing the game well by putting their foot through the ball regularly to force the debutants to play from deep.
8 mins. An immediate chance for Fiji to counter-punch after England fumble the restart. Another big carry from Naisewa off the base of the scrum sets them up in the Red Roses half. They send it right through hands, but the England defence is up to the task and force Nakoci into touch
TRY! Fiji 0 - England (Claudia McDonald)
5 mins. From a lineout close to the Fiji line the England forwards catch and drive, allowing Infante to pass the ball left to McDonald on the left touchline to scamper over.
Scarratt slices a difficult conversion wide.
3 mins. Prop Siteri Rasolea has a rumble forward from in her own 5m area, and this is followed by a number of attempts by Fiji to carry out from very deep to no avail. England eventually smother an attempted clearing kick.
Emily Scarratt sprays a cross kick but Naikore gets to it first before Lydia Thompson
Kick Off!
1 mins. Fiji receive the kick off and straight away there’s a big run from Karalaini Naisewa to get in behind the England tacklers. But next up it’s fumbled and England scrum and clear. Decent start for the debutants.
“Kia ora Lee,” shouts out Mandy Roberts, “We’re following your live updates from inside a slightly chilly Eden Park. Ngā mihi!”
While I’m flattered, I really think you should watch the actual game rather than my nonsense.
There are tears aplenty rolling down several Fijian players cheeks in this incredible World Cup debut moment for them. Wonderful stuff.
Here come the teams!
Eden Park welcomes the two sides; Fiji in their traditional white shirts and black shorts and England in their dark change kit.
Anthems now, rugby soon.
I’ve only had a bloody email!
“Hello Lee”, says a sympathatic Gavin Twedily all the way from Montreal, “I’ve just read your preamble and you sounded lonely so I wanted to say hi and let you know you are not alone. I hope you and everyone else enjoys a fine tournament.
“England look favourites, New Zealand and France will be good, but I really hope Canada does well. Bisous de Montreal!”
How lovely of you, Gavin, thankyou. And Canada are in with a decent shot of at least a semi-final.
Pre Match Reading for you…
Why not take in the full rundown of the groups with this masterful guide from Sarah Rendell.
Why not get in touch? It’s very early here in the UK so send the text equivalent of ProPlus my way via the traditional e-mail or the modern tweet @bloodandmud
Teams
Senirusi Seruvakula has named a strong team, pulling from the successful Drua side and other Super W teams. Captain Sereima Leweniqila shifts to the second row to partner Asiante Serevi, while teenager Sulita Waisega starts at blindside and Karalaini Naisea is in the captain’s usual Number 8 berth. In the backs, keep your eye on the electric Vitalina Naikore on the wing.
For the Red Roses, Simon Middleton has the luxury of casting his gaze over the most enviable squad list in world rugby, and his selection today reflects the quality at his disposal.
Sarah Hunter will captain the side from the base of the scrum, with the incomparable Emily Scarratt as vice-captain from the outside centre shirt. Ellie Kildunne stays at fullback and Sadia Kabeya claims the open-side flanker position.
The bench should frankly terrify Fiji, and it’s a huge moment for Abby Dow who has managed to recover from an horrific leg injury in the Six Nations to make the replacements today.
FIJI
Iris Verebalavu, Vika Maturugu, Siteri Rasolea; Asinate Serevi, Sereima Leweniqila(c); Sulita Waisega, Ema Adivitaloga, Karalaini Naisewa; Lavena Cavuru, Merewalesi Rokouono; Alowesi Nakoci, Rajieli Laqeretabua, Sesenieli Donu, Vitalina Naikore; Roela Radiniyavuni.
Replacements
16. Bitila Tawake, 17. Bulou Vasuturaga, 18. Mereoni Vonosere, 19. Merevesi Ofakimalino, 20. Raijieli Daveua, 21. Akosita Ravato, 22. Ana Maria Roqica, 23. Melaia Matanatabu
ENGLAND
Vickii Cornborough, Amy Cokayne, Sarah Bern; Zoe Aldcroft, Abbie Ward; Alex Matthews, Sadia Kabeya, Sarah Hunter (c); Leanne Infante, Zoe Harrison; Lydia Thompson, Emily Scarratt, Helena Rowland, Claudia MacDonald; Ellie Kildunne.
Replacements
16. Connie Powell, 17. Hannah Botterman, 18. Maud Muir, 19. Cath O’Donnell, 20. Poppy Cleall, 21. Lucy Packer, 22. Holly Aitchison, 23. Abby Dow
Preamble
It’s been a long time coming for this match in more ways that one. The tournament itself is a full year late to arrive due to the spiteful virus, and moreover this is the first meeting between the two sides in the 16 years they have co-existed at international level.
This is also the Fijiana’s first appearance in the big tournament, and while arriving with a hefty assignment to defeat the 25-match unbeaten Red Roses is quite the inaugural task, they are not a team short of ability. A fact ably demonstrated by the Fijiana Drua domestic side’s undefeated season in the Super W this year, where their brand of all park running was brilliant to watch and often devastating for the opposition.
But this England side have been here before. Each time a new and novel challenge presents itself they usually go about their business of dishing out a hammering.
Let’s see if it’s the same today.
