| Venue: Stade de Marseille Date: Sunday, 15 October Kick-off: 16:00 BST |
| Coverage: Commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live; live text commentary on the BBC Sport website and app. |
“It is the opportunity to put a few things right.”
Jamie George’s words during the week may well be ringing in the ears of England fans in Marseille this weekend.
The England hooker was talking about the chance to make amends for a first defeat by Fiji in August during Sunday’s World Cup quarter-final against the same opponents.
That is not the only wrong England have the chance to put right in Marseille. They have a golden opportunity to steady an increasingly shaky ship.
There are some who would say reaching a World Cup semi-final on the kinder side of one of the most unbalanced draws in the tournament’s history would be papering over the cracks.
Others would say a World Cup semi-final is a World Cup semi-final.
One of the many things on the line on Sunday is head coach Steve Borthwick’s team-selection credibility.
Starting Marcus Smith at full-back for only the second time in his international career seems uncharacteristically risky in such a high-stakes game.
Borthwick backed up his decision to start captain Owen Farrell at fly-half over George Ford, describing the Saracens skipper as “one of the best leaders I have ever met”.
“He’s the kind of guy you’d want to go on the field with,” Borthwick added.
Whether he is the kind of guy who can orchestrate England’s attack to score enough points to beat Fiji will be revealed on Sunday.
Cramming fly-halves Smith and Farrell into the same starting backline is symptomatic of one of England’s greatest challenges this World Cup cycle.
It is a side with individual brilliance unable to work out how to convert that into collective success.
For this weekend, World Cup winner Matt Dawson says the selection does not matter too much.
“There are a lot of players that could be in that England backline and I think England would still win the game,” he said on the Rugby Union Daily podcast.
“It might not be pretty, but I think they’d win the game.
“My own view is that I think George Ford is owning the way that England play at the moment. It’s a much bigger picture for me. If England were building anything, it was with Ford at 10.”
Facing world number 10 team Fiji is one thing. A possible semi-final against hosts France or holders South Africa is another matter entirely.
Smith’s selection seems designed for Fiji. The Pacific Islanders’ preference to keep hold of the ball means England are unlikely to need Freddie Steward’s prowess under the high ball.
This backline offers the chance to try something new.
England have averaged the most kicks in play of any team in the tournament with 40.3. A bit of space might tempt Smith into having a run instead.
For all the talk of England’s backline this week, things have not always gone swimmingly in the scrum.
A power struggle against Samoa in their final pool game meant Borthwick’s side were forced to come from behind for their narrow 18-17 victory.
It is an area Fiji could dominate too. England prop Dan Cole put it succinctly: “They’re a very good scrum as we found out at Twickenham.
“They’re experienced and they’re big, strong guys.”
England have also taken action to counteract Fiji’s threat at the breakdown, which is led by Levani Botia.
Sam Underhill was called up to the England squad, supposedly to bring some of Botia’s poaching ability to the week’s training.
In August’s victory, Fiji stole the ball at the ruck five times and England conceded three penalties in that area.
England are still favourites. That is in part thanks to an increasingly solid defence – they have conceded the fewest tries at the tournament with three.
Meanwhile, Fiji’s nine tries scored so far are the fewest of any of the eight remaining teams and their line-out looked particularly fragile in a final pool-stage defeat by Portugal.
Dawson believes that loss was down to Fiji moving away from their usual exciting brand of rugby.
“It really worried me that they didn’t play how they should just naturally play against Portugal,” he said.
“I think they’ve got every chance against England by doing what they’ve done for the previous six weeks.”
Motivation abounds on both sides.
‘The last dance’ has almost become a catchphrase for an England side bursting with players for whom this could be the last game for their country.
Fiji are aiming to reach the World Cup semi-finals for the first time and carry the full weight of a nation’s hopes on their backs.
There has been heartbreak too. Josua Tuisova lost his seven-year-old son and weeks later Sam Matavesi returned to England following the death of his father. Both have been named in Sunday’s matchday 23.
Fiji’s Botia has described it as “a lifetime game”. England prop Joe Marler said: “We want to give this our all and finish on a high.”
Losing for England would be yet another hammer blow in a tumultuous few years for the Rugby Football Union, with poor results in the Six Nations and previous coach Eddie Jones sacked less than a year ago.
Victory for Fiji would be history.
“The players are embracing the challenge and they are going to rise it,” said Borthwick. “These are big players who perform in the big games.”
Line-ups
England: Smith; May, 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.
Referee: Mathieu Raynal (France)
TV match official: Ben Whitehouse (Wales)
