England 30-24 Fiji: Owen Farrell’s boot seals Rugby World Cup semi-final spot

Owen Farrell’s boot took England to the Rugby World Cup semi-finals with a slim victory in opposition to Fiji in Marseille.

England led with ease by 14 aspects with quarter-hour supreme, when Fiji’s Peni Ravai and Vilimoni Botitu both crossed in a frantic four minutes to stage the web at 24-24.

Farrell, whose title became booed when the employees became announced within the stadium after he became chosen over George Ford to begin at 10, vindicated his choice as his tumble-goal made it 27-24 with eight minutes supreme.

One more Farrell penalty within the 78th minute gave England a dinky bit extra breathing room. Nerves were high when Farrell’s deliberate knock-on gave defiant Fiji a penalty with the clock in crimson, however England received the ball on the ground for a memorable victory.

After Ireland and Wales misplaced on Saturday, England are the closing house nation within the tournament and on 21 October will face both hosts France or holders South Africa, whose quarter-final kicks off at 20:00 BST.

Both of these two aspects will pose a vastly greater effort for an England employees who enjoyed their very best performance of the tournament to this level after a turbulent 2023.

England bring for sea of fans

England went into the game as favourites, however after defeat by Fiji in a disappointing August of World Cup warm-up video games and an inconsistent pool stage, expectations were typically low.

England fans heavily outnumbered Fijians in Marseille and their facet made certain it became rate the day out.

The initiating became as brilliant as Fiji’s orange bundle and the hits were as brutal because it gets.

The breakdown had been is named an distinguished web site and Elliot Daly kicked to the corner after a satisfied England had an early procure on the ground.

A pacey attack became battered by wave after wave of large Pacific tackles and when Steve Borthwick’s facet received a penalty in front of the posts, Farrell took the three aspects.

One more probability quickly came. England saved up the slouch. A rolling maul made some headway before the ball became swiftly recycled for Manu Tuilagi to procure the muscle match and assemble it over for England’s first strive.

Tom Curry avoided a yellow card for sliding under Josua Tuisova in a foul-having a survey collision and Fiji’s Frank Lomani slotted the resulting penalty.

To this point this yr, England had did no longer mildew their particular particular person skill correct into a cohesive attack. Against Fiji, there include been natty, instinctive working traces.

Ben Earl sent Joe Marchant thru a spot, Jonny Could objective became falling into contact however found Maro Itoje stunning in time. The attack swung stunning, then left and Marchant found sufficient room to attain.

There had been a conflict of heads between Fiji wing Vinaya Habosi and Marcus Smith within the lead-up, incomes a yellow card for Habosi and a head wound evaluation for Smith, which the fat-help later passed.

After a 2nd missed kick by Lomani, momentum swung Fiji’s draw.

Despite being a participant down, Fiji capitalised on a slumbering England defence and a stamp-and-plod became ample for Viliame Mata to dawdle over the toll road.

Fiji persisted to stamp their power as a crowd of gamers carried Courtney Lawes into contact, before two extra Farrell penalties left England 21-10 up after a promising first half of.

England continue to exist Fiji barrage

Borthwick spoke for the length of the week about making an strive his gamers to abilities their time in an England shirt. For the distinguished time almost as we command, it seemed fancy they were.

Daly became energetic on the wing and when outmoded as a further battering ram within the midfield and Earl rampaged as worthy as he has all tournament.

When the probability came, Farrell prolonged England’s consequence in 14 before the tide turned.

Fiji had spoken within the build-as a lot as the match of the expectation stages help house and the fat weight of that gave the influence to be on their backs as they began their barrage.

Ravai at closing made it over and Simione Kuruvoli nailed the conversion however missed a penalty almost as we command after that would possibly maybe well presumably include minimize England’s consequence in four.

Next, wing Semi Radradra powered thru England defenders and made a wise offload, allowing Botitu to attain and Kuruvoli to stage the web at 24-24 along side his conversion.

England did no longer stunning include a nation on their backs – they were within the stadium. The vociferous fans willed their forwards into Fiji’s 22. There became no draw thru the defence, however there became web site for Farrell to land the tumble-goal.

A penalty followed, before England were forced to desperately shield in opposition to a prolonged Fijian attack valiantly making an strive to assemble its solution to a foremost World Cup semi-final.

Finally, the Pacific Islanders were halted and England continue their scuttle to Paris.

‘Owen can include to feel very at ease with his performance’

England head coach Steve Borthwick on captain Owen Farrell: “He’s an improbable chief. He’s the roughly chief I do know I’d would love to follow on to the pitch. I mediate he is a wise participant who prospers within the competition and particularly in these astronomical occasions he stunning gets even greater.

“We are very lucky to include Owen as a participant on this employees and as our chief. He can include to feel very at ease with his performance and the formula he led the employees.”

England captain Owen Farrell: “It became what we expected. Fiji are a fancy, sophisticated employees that can turn it on within the blink of an sight. I assumed we started the game in actuality successfully however we continuously knew Fiji were going to include some objective correct patches and they also did.

“To web a approach to procure and obtain thru to the semi-finals is a astronomical step forward however all people is conscious of we include a great deal of labor to enact.”

England flanker Ben Earl, speaking to BBC Radio 5 Reside: “That is one in every of the perfect days of my profession, I’ve no longer had a feeling fancy that on the discontinue of the game, stunning huge reduction.”

“I’m so pleased for the team and certain members. We owe it to them to wait on playing yet any other couple of weeks within the England shirt. I’d love to assemble the most of playing with Courtney Lawes, Owen Farrell and Dan Cole. These guys are greats of the game, never thoughts stunning English rugby.”

England’s 2003 World Cup winner Matt Dawson on Radio 5 Reside: “Fiji’s gamers are heartbroken. They gave it their very best shot with out a query.

“England were colorful in that first half of and all in all that became the perfect England performance in a series of months.

“England were tight and committed. Comely play to them.”

Line-ups

England: Smith; Could objective, Marchant, Tuilagi, Daly; Farrell (capt), Mitchell; Genge, George, Cole, Itoje, Chessum, Lawes, Curry, Earl.

Replacements: Dan, Marler, Sinckler, Martin, Vunipola, Care, Ford, Lawrence.

Fiji: Droasese; Habosi, Nayacalevu (capt), Tuisova, Radradra; Botitu, Lomani; Mawi, Ikanivere, Tagi, Nasilasila, Tuisue, Tagitagivalu, Botia, Mata.

Replacements: Matavesi, Ravai, Doge, Derenalagi, Miramira, Kuruvoli, Masi, Maqala.

Match officers

Referee: Mathieu Raynal (France)

Assistants: Nic Berry (Australia), Pierre Brousset (France)

TMO: Ben Whitehouse (Wales)

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