To wrap things up over here, here’s Paul Rees’s report from Twickenham:
The rugby does not stop here, however. It’s time for Ireland’s rematch with New Zealand. Get yer MBM here. Join me please. It’s nothing without you lot.
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Ben Ryan is giving a stirring speech on Sky about the future of Fijian rugby. He’s making a very compelling case for a Super Rugby franchise in the Islands.
Nine tries for England, and they will be pleased about that. Rokoduguni took his chance with a brace, and Launchbury and Joseph also got a couple each. The defence was a bit of a mess, at times, but a job well done overall. There will be a full report on the site very soon.
Also soon is Ireland v New Zealand! I’ll be liveblogging that too. Join me please.
Rugby history was made in Rome this afternoon:
What a breathless start to the day’s rugby!
Here’s some results:
- England 58-15 Fiji
- Wales 33-30 Japan
- Italy 20-18 South Africa
Here’s Ian Malin’s report, by the way, of England women’s defeat to New Zealand earlier.
Wales win! 33-30!
Sam Davies has slotted a drop goal with the clock on 79:50. There’s time for a kick-off, but it’s poor and they boot into touch to win 33-30! Scenes in Cardiff.
Full time: England 58-15 Fiji
Fiji aren’t kicking it out. They try to finish on a high, but knock on and Henry Slade pummels it out! England win 58-15.
79 min Fiji turn it over, and escape. Through Matawalu and Nadolo - who else? - they get down to England’s 22 and Alex Goode cleans up, but ambitiously. It ends up in touch thanks to Danny Care.
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78 min From the lineout, Te’o has a half-break, and it results in a 5m scrum for England.
In Cardiff, Wales really should have scored there. It’s 30-30 with 2 mins to go. 5m scrum to Japanm on their own line.
77 min So Fiji have a 5m scrum. It’s solid. They go left through the hands. And now right. England defending quite manically, and they win a penalty thanks to Jamie George. Ford boots for touch.
75 min Fiji win the lineout, rumble towards the line but are held up.
74 min Nakarawa breaks, and they rumble upfield. Eventually they win a penalty, which they put in the corner.
WALES ARE DRAWING WITH JAPAN
73 min Fiji win a penalty at the scrum in their 22, and run. As they do.
72 min England go burrowing down the right, before Hughes half-breaks. It comes back and gets very scrappy as Ca knocks on.
The drought is over. @Federugby claim first ever victory over @Springboks. #ITAvRSA https://t.co/l79on5sTLt
— BT Sport Rugby (@btsportrugby) November 19, 2016
Try! (Launchbury 69) England 58-15 Fiji
71 min Lovely from England, lovely from Henry Slade. He delays a delicious little pass, sends it over the top, Billy Vunipola straightens and sends to Launchbury, who has two. Ford misses from the right hand side.
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69 min This scrum takes an age to happen. When it does, England do good things. Car e loops round Ford and releases Daly who hares forward before being tackled. They go left, then right, before Roko is pinged for holding on.
ITALY HAVE BEATEN SOUTH AFRICA
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67 min Infield, Fiji knock on at the breakdown. Charlie Ewels is on for Lawes too. It was Joseph who went off for Slade.
66 min England gather, and boot it. Fiji lineout on halfway. Henry Slade’s on.
Try! (Rokoduguni 64) England 53-15 Fiji
65 min George finds his man, and the forwards keep it among themselves. When the backs get their hands on it, Ford checks, delays and goes long, to Roko, on the right touch line, and he walks it in for his second. From wide, Ford misses.
Wales 27-23 Japan in Cardiff. 15 to go...
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63 min Fiji win the lineout and kick. England’s forwards carry up towards the 22, then Kyle Sinckler gets his hands on it! He charges towards the line but is tackled by the last man! Advantage and they need it as Nadolo intercepts. Penalty, which Ford puts in the corner.
62 min The ball is quick from the lineout and they spin it wide. Daly tries to do Fiji on the outside but his foot ends up in touch 5m out.
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61 min Fiji win a scrappy lineout but then give away a penatly for obstruction, which Ford plants into touch just outside the Fiji 22 on the right hand side.
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60 min Fiji send a very fine kick into England’s 22. Good spot this. They go long at the lineout and Nadolo flies on to it! He’s stopped but there is a penalty advantage for not rolling away. They charge on, but it’s a little slow. Nine phases they go through before the backs gets a run. As Te’o produces a crunching tackle, they go back for the advantage, but knock on. England look to be running it, but eventually kick down field.
58 min Fiji win their lineout and go left. They win a penalty when Nathan Hughes comes in at the side. Sinckler on for Cole. Fiji captain Qera is off.
57 min Elliot Daly fetches the ball deep in England’s 22 and sends a raking kick into touch on the left-hand side. He’s had a good day.
Try! (Joseph 55) England 48-15 Fiji
56 min Jamie George finds his man at the lineout, Danny Care sends up a box-kick, which Fiji gather. It’s turned over, and Care box-kicks again. It’s collected, Matawalu sends a wild offload to Matavesi, who sends a wild pass out, which is brilliantly read by Joseph, who intercepts and runs in under the posts! Ford converts.
Wales are 24-20 up against Japan, by the way. Japan just scored.
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54 min Fiji win a solid scrum and send Nadolo rumbling down the left. They keep it on the blindside, with Matawalu sniping. Phases. Relative, by Fijian standards, calm, as Matavesi sends a grubber into touch on the England 22 on the left-hand side.
53 min Fiji also have a new hooker, Talemaitoga, and he overthrows. It goes out to England’s midfield, where there is a knock one. Danny Care on for Ben Youngs and Ben Te’o for Owen Farrell.
52 min England make two changes in the front row. Mako and Hartley off, Marler and Jamie George on. From the restart, Ford kicks to touch on halfway.
Try! (Goode 49) England 41-15 Fiji
50 min We’ve got a pause as a couple of injuries are attended to. England win their scrum, it comes back and Rokoduguni cuts a glorious line! He’s gone 50m before being hauled down near the line. England have the advantage but have Fiji stretched, and they send it wide neatly, through almost every set of hands to Alex Goode wide on the right. He crosses easily for his first international try. Classy straightening from Mako there. Farrell scores the conversion.
Italy are beating South Africa 20-18.
48 min Nathan Hughes has come on for Teimana Harrison. England win the ball at the lineout but then Ford is nailed by Tikoitorotuma. Daly brilliantly claims a garryowen, but Fiji get the ball back and eventually win knock on on halfway.
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47 min Launchbury claims Hartley’s lineout, and they look to drive. Hartley’s at the back of it and crosses the line! Try! Or not! Obstruction against Mako Vunipola, who seemed to help Hartley over the line and was unbound. Fiji boot the penalty downfield, but don’t get too far.
46 min Loads of missed tackles from England in that try. England win the ball from their kick-off and Fiji are pinged for not moving away at the ruck. Farrell goes for the corner.
Try! (Talebula 43) England 34-15 Fiji
45 min Harrison has missed three of his four tackles. That lineout - in the 22 - comes back, and Fiji go left. After a charge rom Qera, they come back right and Metu Talebula, the full-back, gets the ball in the middle of the field and loops right, to score in the corner! Nadolo misses again.
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42 min Matawalu in the thick of things immediately, as you’d expect. Eventually, after plenty of phases, Harrison is pinged for not rolling away and Fiji kick the penalty to touch on the right.
41 min England go a little too wide on the left, and a foot finds touch. Fiji scrape the lineout back and get some phases going.
Second half underway
Matawalu on for Vularika at scrum-half. And we’re underway.
So we had a seven try first-half at Twickenham. England will want to tighten up, while Fiji will want to forget their awful first 30 minutes. England missed 11 tackles in that half.
Oooohhh. South Africa are leading Italy by a point at half-time.
Paul Coleman is relying on me, which is slightly nerve-wracking. “I’m following the game in Yangon (Rangoon) Myanmar via the Guardian,” he writes, “because the expensive app that I shelled out for that promised live coverage is about as much use as tits in a fish.” hur hur hur
I said I’d keep you posted on events in Cardiff. It’s a fun game there too! Wales lead 14-13 at the break. Roberts and Lydiate have scored for Wales, who also had Liam Williams sin-binned. Akhito Yamada has run in from 60 yards for the Japanese.
SD Weekley has been in touch with a very good entry to the “I’m listening in the best place” conversation: “Mount Standish chairlift, Sunshine mountain village, banff, Alberta, Canada. Sadly no beer (it’s only 8am)....poor excuse I know.....” Envy doesn’t cover it, with or without beer.
We’ll be seeing some Te’o soon...
@willis_macp I'm just excited there's an England game where Ben Te'o can justifiably be considered an option
— Dan Lucas (@DanLucas86) November 19, 2016
Half-time! England 34-10 Fiji
So Nadolo kicks the conversion. It’s a sexy strike, but misses on the nearside.
And that is half-time. England scored five early tries, but Fiji have fought back well in the last 10 minutes, and one senses that England might be in for a rollicking from Eddie Jones. They were just a bit sloppy there.
Speak in five.
Try! (Nakarawa 40) England 34-10 Fiji
40 min Qera goes off the base of that lineout with some conviction. He gets very close to the line, and after what feels like an age, Nakarawa gets his hands on it, stretches and scores! Good try that.
39 min Fiji win the linout, and try to rumble but get nowhere. The ball comes loose and Nadolo carries in midfield. As the ball is spun left, Yato bounces off Ben Youngs and throws an audacious offload that results in a Fiji lineout. Last play of the half.
38 min From the kick-off, Fiji win a penalty for holding on. Matavesi sticks it in the corner.
Chris Stubley is: “On board a survey ship 100 miles offshore Morocco.” That’s pretty good ...
Penalty! (Farrell 37) England 34-5 Fiji
37 min That’s better from England. Big shove on, and that’s a penalty. Strangely, they are going for the posts. Quiet boos at Twickers, but Farrell kicks it over.
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36 min So England have a beautifully placed scrum. In the middle of the field, in the middle of the Fiji 22. But it needs reseting. Scrum pretty even thus far.
“I can’t better Myanmar but I am on a beach in Brazil which isn’t terrible,” writes Jen Bromley. “Rather than in my favourite rugby and beer pub in Cambridge today I find myself with a cold beer on the beach at Balneário Camboriú, Guardian live coverage in hand . If I could make a lovechild of the two locations I think it would be a place worth a visit.”
That sounds very decent indeed. Better than Kings Cross, certainly.
35 min Nadolo collects the restart, recycles and Fiji go wide on the right, but it eventually comes back on the England side. Farrell dinks through and Fiji are trying to run it out. Dangerous. And, typically, it’s knocked on.
Try! (Nadolo 32) England 31-5 Fiji
33 min The 5m scrum is scrappy, with England losing their bind. Reset. This scrum is better, and Vularika send it straight to Nadolo, who charges then recycles. Nakarawa does the same. They go right, nice and tight, then left, flinging it wider and Nadolo goes over in the corner! Nothing Roko can do about that. Nadolo now has 18 tries in 24 Tests. He’s an unlikely goalkicker, is Nadolo, and his left-footed nudge from wide on the left goes wide.
31 min They lose the lineout, but the ball coming back is scrappy and they force England into conceding a 5m scrum as Roko is bundled out.
30 min Fiji penalty! England collapsing this time. Fiji stick it in the corner, as they jolly well should.
29 min England knock on from the kick off and that’s a scrum just outside the 22 for Fiji.
Wales, by the way, lead Japan 14-6 and have had a man in the bin.
Try! (Launchbury 26) England 31-0 Fiji
27 min Robshaw wins the lineout from 8m out, and go rumbling again. It’s Launchbury who rolls over this time. All too easy. Farrell converts from the right. Lots of kicking practice for him today.
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26 min England win a penalty from said scrum. Fiji collapsing. They stick it into the right hand corner.
25 min Fiji stick the penalty into touch, knock it down, and Vularika drops it. Oh dear. England scrum on the opposition 22.
24 min The lineout is on the 22 and is taken quickly! England buildup nicely but eventually are pinged for obstruction.
23 min The lineout is again won with ease. They send it off the top and through the hands on the right. It comes back left and Farrell nudges forward with his left peg. Vularika gathers under pressure and a boxkick finds touch.
22 min England gather the kick off and get that rolling maul going again. It’s not going anywhere, but Fiji pull it down illegally and that’s another penalty. England stick it into touch on halfway again.
Try! (Harrison 20) England 24-0 Fiji
21 min England stick it into the corner and getting the rolling maul, errr, rolling. It’s a wee bit scrappy, but they force Harrison over right in the left-hand corner. Farrell’s conversion comes from very wide and he misses to the left.
19 min They win the lineout again, and the forwards do some leg-driving up into the 22. They have an offside advantage, Daly goes on a dart but is held up by Yato and we go back for that penalty. It’s in front of the posts.
18 min England win the lineout and go on a rumbling rolling maul. Then there’s a penalty against Ravai for pulling down the maul. England stick it into touch.
17 min Fiji win the ball at a solid scrum and go wide, but the scrum-half Vularika isn’t quite quick enough and is forced into touch on the left.
Ajit Chittambalam writes: “Fiji’s lack of preparation may show up in the set pieces and defensive organization, and England will prey on this all day. I love Fiji but this looks a little grim.”
Hard to disagree ..
15 min Fiji need to calm down. They have the ball and are recycling. Eventually, somehow, England knock on at the breakdown. Fiji scrum.
John in Myanmar! “Another lip smacking prospect as all England games seem to be under Eddie,” he writes. “I wonder who’s the remotest follower of the coverage? I’m sipping a Dagon beer in Taunggyi in Myanmar.”
Can anyone better that?
Try! (Rokoduguni 12) England 19-0 Fiji
13 min England kick that penalty into touch, win the lineout, send it wide, and Rokoduguni scores in the right hand corner. That’s his first for England. Farrell misses the con.
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11 min Fiji are all over the place, I’m afraid. From the kick off, Roko runs hard into the Fijian half, but Billy Vunipola knocks on. They play the advantage, make it into England’s half but eventually Fiji are penalised for a neck-roll.
Try! (Daly 8) England 14-0 Fiji
9 min Fiji win their lineout, box kick, and then win a penalty, which is quick-tapped by the replacement prop Rabai. They go through the phases, but Robshaw steals and Youngs kicks out, it bounces beyond Nadolo’s reach, and kindly into the hands of Rokoduguni. It comes back, and again Ford delays a delicious pass, it ends up with Daly and he jinks and runs in from 30 metres, fooling defenders all over the shop. Farrell converts, and that’s 500 points for the Saracen!
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7 min This is loose, and it’s scrappy. The ball just about comes back for England, George Ford stands flat but the ball goes out of play after he find Daly wide on the right.
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6 min Oh dear, on two fronts. Campese Ma’afu, the Northampton loosehead, has had to go off injured. Peni Ravai replaces him. Josh Matavesi then sticks the kick-off out on the full to the left.
Japan are leading Wales, by the way. They’ve scored a penalty and it’s 3-0.
Try! (Joseph 4) England 7-0 Fiji
4 min That scrum goes down but the ball comes back for England, and Roko has a trundle that is ended by Nadolo. They recycle and Mako Vunipola goes on the charge, it goes through the hands, George Ford delays his pass and Jonathan Joseph scores from close range in the left-hand corner! Owen Farrell converts, that’s 499 international points for him.
2 min England win a free-kick from the resulting scrum, as Fiji engage early, and go for another scrum. It looks very cold.
1 min Nadolo gathers, and Fiji box-kick long, and Alex Goode makes a hash of gathering. After a bit of kicking Elliot Daly tries something defter, but it doesn’t really work and eventually Fiji knock on in their own half.
Kick-off!
And we’re off, as George Ford kicks to Fiji.
They’ve taken all that stuff off the field, so Fiji can do the Cibi, their traditional challenge. Short, but sweet, and the tracksuits are coming off.
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Send me your thoughts – I have to type Fijian names a lot today and they are really very hard.
Just switching screens for a moment, I notice plenty of tears in the Japanese lineups as they sing their anthem. Will try to keep you up to date with events in Cardiff too.
The players are on their way out for the anthems. England are wearing their change shirt, which is a dark blue number. All the standard Twickenham pomp and circumstance. Fiji are lead out by their hooker Sunia Koto, who is winning his 50th cap.
Email me! will.macpherson.freelance@guardian.co.uk
Tweet me! @willis_macp
So here are the teams:
England: Goode; Rokoduguni, Joseph, Farrell, Daly; Ford, B Youngs; M Vunipola, Hartley, Cole; Launchbury, Lawes; Robshaw, Harrison, B Vunipola.
Fiji: Talebula; Masilevu, Tikoirotuma, Vulivuli, Nadolo; Matavesi, Vularika; Ma’afu, Koto Vuli, Saulo; Ratuniyarawa, Nakarawa; Waqaniburotu, Yato, Qera.
Owen Farrell needs three points for 500 in internationals, by the way.
On your radios, this is good news ...
England v Fiji - pleased to be part of history for BBC rugby today. I'll be in the box with their 1st female lead commentator @Sara_Orchard.
— Brian Moore (@brianmoore666) November 19, 2016
Semesa Rokoduguni lining up against Nemani Nadolo is one of the sexier match-ups going round this weekend. Serious finishers, seriously big units.
Nemani Nadolo at first-receiver during Fiji's run-throughs from the left. They're not going to wait to get him in the game. Why would you?
— Charlie Morgan (@CharlieFelix) November 19, 2016
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So, England are after their 11th win of the year, 11th under Eddie Jones, and 12th on the bounce. Fiji are after their second win over a tier one - god I hate that there are tiers - side in the last decade. “We’ve got to keep structure in the game,” said Eddie Jones. Personally, I want it to be wildly loose.
Sky have Ben Ryan in the studio with Clive Woodward. Cool guy.
England v Fiji, of course, is a pretty stark case of rugby haves taking on rugby have-nots. Here’s Rob Kitson with some food for thought on the subject.
History in the women’s game! England’s Rochelle Clark came off the bench for her 116th cap, in their game against the Black Ferns at the Stoop. As a result, she’s the most-capped women’s international ever. Here’s the historic moment:
The moment Rocky Clark became the most capped Women's international of all time! 🌹 https://t.co/TwcaOCwkv2
— England Rugby (@EnglandRugby) November 19, 2016
It’s been a belter of a game, by all accounts, but New Zealand have pinched a 25-20 win with a couple of late penalties.
How’s this for a try?
#RedRoses
— England Rugby (@EnglandRugby) November 19, 2016
47' ENG 17 - 5 NZL
Lydia Thompson finishes off another sweeping move from England Women. Con successful. https://t.co/EX0pVfSuSm
Preamble
Well a very good afternoon to you all. London’s feeling mighty wintry this, well, winter’s afternoon. England, having got their autumn programme off to a very tidy start against the Springboks last week, host the wonderful Fijians, the sport’s (well, a close cousin of this sport, anyway) Olympic Champs, and it should be a belter. I’m Will Macpherson, and welcome to the Guardian’s minute-by-minute coverage.
Indeed this Saturday, 19 November, provides a veritable feast of rugby. While England take on Fiji, the Welsh host Japan. Then, later, I’ll be with you for New Zealand’s revenge operation against Ireland in Dublin, and the Scots also host Argentina. Even later, Australia are playing France in Paris. I will do my utmost to keep you abreast of developments across the board.
For now, though, the main point of interest is Twickenham. As far as my social media feeds are telling me, it’s blooming chaos in that particular corner of leafy south-west London, with Waterloo station at a standstill and the roads not much better. All the tickets have been sold - of course they have, this is Twickenham - but will all the seats be filled?! Are you stuck in all this nonsense? Contact me to busy yourself. Except if you are at the wheel. Do not tweet and drive, folks.
What does the rugby have in store, then? England delayed naming their team and have shuffled their hand a little. They have brought a fella with origins in the Pacific Islands (Semesa Rokoduguni) into their starting XV, but resisted the temptation to try a second (Nathan Hughes), and in doing so retained another (big Billy Vunipola). There’s another, Ben Te’o - New Zealand born, Australian trained, a Samoan international in league and now dwelling in Worcester - on the bench. And Mako at loosehead too. Does that all make sense? No, probably not. The recall of Teimana Harrison - hooked after half an hour against Australia in the summer - is also an interesting selection, as is Elliot Daly on the left wing, and the 21-year-old Bath lock, Charlie Ewels, on the bench. In short, England have changed a bit but not a lot - the spine of Eddie Jones’s team remains.
The last time these two sides met, of course, was the opening night of England’s ill-fated World Cup campaign one year, two months and one day ago. Corr, it feels longer than that. England have never lost to Fiji. Will be a fun afternoon if that changes today, I tell you!
Here’s Rob Kitson’s preview from this morning’s paper:
Anyway, more from me very shortly. In the meantime, get in touch! Because I don’t really want to make my phone number too public, there are two ways to do that:
- via email, at the outrageously cumbersome will.macpherson.freelance@guardian.co.uk
- or on the twitters, at @willis_macp
Play nicely!
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