ENGLAND handed the FIJI Water Flying Fijians a deafening 8-73 thrashing to send them to the bottom of the Nations Championship’s Southern Hemisphere rankings in Liverpool yesterday.
Fiji were kept at bay by the English for nearly the entirety of the match as interim head coach Senirusi Seruvakula’s team slipped off the rails from what he described last week after their 24-39 defeat by Wales as a “careless” performance to what he said was England destroying them yesterday.
“England was the best team today, they played really well and they deserved the win because we gave away a lot of penalties and our boys had a lack of focus from the start – so that’s what destroyed us today,” he said after the match.
Now, the team heads upward to face Scotland in Glasgow this Sunday at 1.10am.
Fiji’s lone try was made by captain Tevita Ikanivere in the 47th minute of play with fly-half Caleb Muntz’s penalty kick earlier in the 12th minute being the extra point.
It was a helpless contest of varying odds from the start and continued in that fashion for much of the first half, with the Englishmen stamping five converted tries to lead 35-3 at half-time.
All tries scored for England were made by Marcus Smith, Jamie George, Guy Pepper, Benhard Janse van Rensburg, Seb Atkinson, Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, Henry Pollock, Henry Slade and Noah Caluori.
Fly-half Fin Smith successfully converted every try in the match.
In added time after the first half lapsed, Simione Kuruvoli was shown a rare permanent red card by referee Hollie Davidson for kicking at England’s Ellis Wenge and proceeding to step on his chest.
Veteran jackler Levani Botia was shown a yellow card in the 27th minute.
Eight substitutions were made in the match for Fiji; vice-captain Frank Lomani replaced Vuate Karawalevu, Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula for Kalaveti Ravouvou, Livai Natave for Eroni Mawi, Sam Matavesi for skipper Ikanivere, Peni Ravai for Mesake Doge, vice-captain Temo Mayanavanua for Tevita Ratuva, Pita Gus Sowakula for Peceli Yato and Elia Canakaivata for Botia.
