The inaugural Nations Championship continues today with another blockbuster day of rugby action. England face an away clash with Fiji, who are calling the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Merseyside their home away from home this afternoon partly because their national stadium in Suva does not meet the necessary requirements.
A chastening defeat to South Africa last time out was England fifth loss on the spin, and today's trip to the home of Premier League side Everton is no guarantee at form will reverse. Last year's meeting between these two teams looks comfortable on paper, but was far from it in reality. Fiji also lost their opening game of the competition, going down in Cardiff to Wales.
Some many be surprised that Steve Borthwick remains in post, but questions over if the England manager is suitable for the role remain - and even a victory today will do little to quell the discontent. A loss could be the end. Follow all the action with Standard Sport's dedicated LIVE rugby blog below!
Fiji vs England latest news
- Kick-off time: 2.10pm BST, Hill Dickinson Stadium
- How to watch: ITV
- Fiji line-up and team news
- England line-up and team news
- Score prediction
13:53 , Alex Young
Final prep.
George excited to see ‘special talent’ Caluori
13:45 , Alex Young
Jamie George has urged England fans to enjoy a unique talent when ‘Air Caluori’ is unleashed upon Fiji today.
Saracens prodigy Noah Caluori is poised to make his debut off the bench to continue a stellar debut season that has seen him crowned the Gallagher Prem’s breakthrough player for 2025-26 and its leading try scorer.
The towering 19-year-old wing with an infatuation for playing golf on his VR headset is being mentored by Owen Farrell, who is helping smooth the rough edges of a player who is devastating in the air and already has a highlights reel of acrobatic finishes.
The England captain said: “Air Caluori is a special, special talent and I’m buzzing for him.
“He bought himself a VR headset with his first pay cheque and that’s all he has been doing this week – he’s probably more focused on that than the fact he is playing against Fiji!
“He can be so influential on a game because there are very few people who have his athletic ability. I’ve genuinely never seen anything like it.
“He’s able to do things that other people aren’t physically able to do and it’s a thing of beauty when he gets it right.
“The excitement should be there because we haven’t had a player like this for a very, very long time.
“We need to appreciate that he isn’t the finished article, he’s 19 years old and he’s on his first cap. But we are fully behind him to go out there and express himself.
“I just hope he enjoys it because when he enjoys his rugby, he’s at his best.”
Fiji plot Liverpool upset
13:31 , Alex Young
Fiji may be positioned ninth in the global rankings, but they are dangerous opponents capable of striking from anywhere on the field and piling up tries in the blink of an eye.
Their 39-24 defeat by Wales last Saturday underlined their ongoing vulnerability to a strong set piece, but they should be better drilled after another week in camp.
For commercial and logistical reasons they are playing their ‘home’ games in the UK, where they recorded their only victory against England in 2023. As banana skin fixtures go, Fiji are as slippery as they come.
No margin for error
13:15 , Alex Young
England have entered must-win territory against Fiji, the lowest ranked of their three Nations Championship opponents this month.
While there is no shame in losing to world champions South Africa at their Ellis Park stronghold, the overall performance was a step backwards after the fireworks produced against France in the climax to the Six Nations.
Head coach Steve Borthwick has been backed until the 2027 World Cup by the Rugby Football Union but he needs a decisive victory in Liverpool to ease the pressure on his regime that has been a familiar theme of 2026.
Score prediction
13:05 , Alex Young
England’s glaring issues that contributed to their worst-ever Six Nations showing were on full display once more against masterful South Africa, who, as expected, exploited them ruthlessly despite being without a number of their key forwards including captain Siya Kolisi and Eben Etzebeth, who were both late withdrawals.
They were caught completely cold from the outset and, having initially battled back admirably, ill-discipline then proved costly yet again during a hugely disappointing second half, while they were never able to come close to matching the dominant Springboks physically.
Selection decisions such as persisting with wing Freeman in the centres have continued to prove divisive among fans, many of whom still do not appear to know exactly what brand of rugby Borthwick is consistently attempting to play - an obvious worry in itself some three-and-a-half years into his reign.
England simply must end their losing run against Fiji, who will have been unhappy with their own second-half display against Wales, totally undone by the set-piece after drawing 10-10 at half-time following a first 40 minutes in which they showcased their usual exciting style with ball in hand.
Flipping between absolutely sublime, skilful running attacking rugby full of sensational offloads and then a frustrating lack of solid fundamentals is a very familiar story for Fiji, which England should be able to work to their advantage in a much-needed win to ease some of the mounting pressure on Borthwick.
England to win, by 14 points.
Head to head
12:55 , Alex Young
England have won nine of their 10 previous meetings against Fiji, including a 38-18 triumph at Twickenham in the autumn of 2025 and a 30-24 victory in the 2023 World Cup quarter-finals.
Fiji’s only success over England to date came at Twickenham in the run-up to that competition in France as the Pacific Islanders ran out shock 30-22 winners in a warm-up fixture.
Fiji wins: 1
England wins: 9
Draws: 0
Fiji vs England lineups
12:45 , Alex Young
Fiji XV: Rayasi; Karaivalevu, Ravouvou, Tuisova, Wainiqolo; Muntz, Kuruvoli; Mawi, Ikanivere (c), Doge; Ratuva, Nasilasila; Yato, Tagitagivalu, Botia
Replacements: Matavesi, Matave, Ravai, Mayanavanua, Canakivata, Sovakula, Lomani, Armstrong-Ravula
England XV: M Smith; Freeman, Slade, Atkinson, Feyi-Waboso; F Smith, Van Poortvliet; Genge, George (c), Heyes; Coles, Martin; Chessum, Pepper, Earl
Replacements: Cowan-Dickie, Opoku-Fordjour, Kloska, Curry, Pollock, Mitchell, Janse van Rensburg, Caluori
Fiji team news
12:35 , Alex Young
Fiji’s interim coach Senirusi Seruvakula makes nine changes to the team beaten by Wales, including Levani Botia and Peceli Yato both earning their first starts for a number of years in a new-look back row that also features Lekima Tagitagivalu.
Out go Pita-Gus Sowakula, Kitione Salawa Jr and Elia Canakaivata.
Mesake Doge comes in at tighthead for ex-England U20 prop Tim Hoyt, with Tevita Ratuva drafted in at lock to replace Temo Mayanavanua.
Caleb Muntz is preferred to Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula at fly-half, joining Simione Kuruvoli in a new half-back partnership as Frank Lomani also drops to the bench.
Janse van Rensburg’s Bristol team-mate Kalaveti Ravouvou is at 13 following a knee injury to Semi Radradra and Vuate Karawalevu is promoted to the right wing over Selestino Ravutaumada.
There is no place in the matchday squad for ex-France international Virimi Vakatawa, who was called up by Fiji following the injury to Radradra.
Fiji are led by hooker Tevita Ikanivere, who retains his starting berth alongside loosehead Eroni Mawi, lock Isoa Nasilasila, full-back Salesi Rayasi, centre Josua Tuisova and wing Jiuta Wainiqolo.
England team news
12:25 , Alex Young
Borthwick has made only two changes to the starting England team who were dominated by the Springboks, with Tommy Freeman moving back to the wing and Henry Slade coming in at outside centre to partner Seb Atkinson, with Cadan Murley having suffered a shoulder injury in Johannesburg.
The other alteration is in the back row, where Tom Curry is replaced at openside flanker by Guy Pepper.
The headline selections are on the bench, where former South African Under-20 international Benhard Janse van Rensburg is poised to earn his first official England cap after becoming eligible on residency grounds after five years spent at Bristol and previously London Irish.
He recently featured for an England XV in a non-cap defeat by France, but was not available to play against the country of his birth.
Also in line for his maiden senior international appearance this weekend is Saracens teenager Noah Caluori, who is preferred to Tom Roebuck after the latter was called up following Murley’s injury.
The same is also true for Bristol tighthead George Kloska, who will back up Joe Heyes after Bath’s Beno Obano was also injured against South Africa and Emmanuel Iyogun was drafted into the wider squad, along with Roebuck and Chandler Cunningham-South.
Marcus Smith is again at 15 after George Furbank’s late bout of appendicitis that forced him to withdraw from a scheduled first England start since 2024 last week, joined in the back three by Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso.
Atkinson and Slade are in midfield, with Jack van Poortvliet again preferred to Alex Mitchell and Ben Spencer at scrum-half. Fin Smith continues at fly-half.
The front row has a familiar look with Ellis Genge, stand-in captain Jamie George and Heyes, with Alex Coles and George Martin at lock as usual skipper Maro Itoje is rested this summer.
Ollie Chessum is at 6, with Pepper and Ben Earl rounding out the back row as Henry Pollock again has to make do with a replacement berth.
How to watch Fiji vs England rugby
12:15 , Alex Young
TV channel: Fiji vs England is being broadcast live and free-to-air in the UK on ITV, with coverage beginning at 1:20pm BST on ITV1 ahead of a 2:10pm kick-off.
It is part of another bumper day of Nations Championship rugby on the channel, sandwiched between Ireland’s clash with Japan and Scotland’s trip to South Africa.
The action kicks off with New Zealand vs Italy and Australia vs France, while it concludes with Argentina vs Wales on ITV4.
Live stream: The matches are also available to stream live online via the ITVX website and app, which is free with a registration.
Fiji vs England LIVE
12:09 , Alex Young
Hello and welcome to the London Standard’s LIVE coverage of the Nations Championships clash between Fiji and England.
It’s a ‘home’ game for Fiji, but taking place at Everton’s Hill Dickenson Stadium. More on that later.
Both teams lost their championships opener last week, so are desperate to turn the tide.
Kick-off is at 2.10pm. Stick with us!
