England's Rugby Resurgence
Henry Pollock's Hat-trick Powers England to Dominant 73-8 Victory Over Fiji
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Key Points
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Pollock completed his hat-trick with a sharp-angle finish after receiving a Tom Curry short pop-pass, showing England's ability to exploit Fiji's defensive gaps.
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Noah Caluori scored on his Test debut after coming off the bench, adding a late, dynamic threat for England.
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Kalaveti Ravouvou looked to have a half-time try for Fiji, but it was ruled out after Simione Kuruvoli received a red card for kicking out at Ellis Genge.
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Levani Botia was shown a yellow card and sent to the sin-bin for cynical play in the first half, underscoring Fiji's disciplinary issues on the day.
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England recorded their largest-ever win over Fiji in this fixture, underlining the scale of the mismatch created by Fiji's off-day in Liverpool.
England thrashed Fiji 73-8 in Liverpool on Saturday, ending a five-match losing streak in the most emphatic fashion possible. Henry Pollock scored a hat-trick, England ran in 11 tries, and two debutants got on the scoresheet — all in front of a crowd that had not seen England win in far too long. BBC called it a performance that made Pollock's case to start for coach Steve Borthwick.
The result marks England's largest-ever win over Fiji and gives Borthwick much-needed breathing room before a tough trip to face Argentina in Santiago del Estero. France 24 reported the win ended a losing streak of seven games by some accounts, with Fiji forced to play more than half the match with 14 men after a red card just before half-time.
Kuruvoli's Red Card Broke Fiji's Resistance
The turning point came just before half-time. Fiji's Simione Kuruvoli was shown a straight red card for kicking out at Ellis Genge. It wiped out what looked like a Kalaveti Ravouvou try for Fiji, and it left the Pacific islanders with 14 men for the entire second half. England then pulled away ruthlessly.
Fiji's discipline was a problem all day. Levani Botia was sin-binned in the first half for cynical play. Morning Chronicle noted Fiji spent large stretches of the match a man or two short, turning what was already a tough game into an impossible one. England's final score of 73-8 tells the full story.
Pollock's Hat-Trick Puts Him in Borthwick's Starting Plans
Henry Pollock was the star of the show. He completed his hat-trick with a sharp-angle finish after taking a short pop-pass from Tom Curry. BBC noted that former England wing Chris Ashton had predicted this kind of performance — and Pollock delivered on it fully. The back row now has a strong case to start England's next Test.
Pollock's three tries were not just about individual brilliance. They showed England's ability to find gaps and move the ball with purpose. Each score came from a different type of play, proving Pollock can score in multiple ways. Yahoo Sports said the performance eased real pressure on Borthwick heading into a difficult away fixture.
Debutants Van Rensburg and Caluori Impress Off the Bench
Two players made their England debuts on Saturday — Benhard Janse van Rensburg and Noah Caluori. Both came off the bench. Both scored. Caluori in particular added a late, dynamic burst that gave England's attack a fresh edge. France 24 highlighted the pair as key contributors in a match full of positive signs for Borthwick.
Their performances point to genuine squad depth. England were able to rotate freely and still find tries. Immanuel Feyi-Waboso also scored a sharp finish earlier in the game. Yahoo Sports said the 11-try haul showed England can generate attacking returns from multiple sources — not just one or two star names.
George Calls for Discipline Change as Argentina Looms
Despite the big win, captain Jamie George kept things honest. He acknowledged England's own disciplinary issues, pointing to 56 penalties and nine yellow cards in recent matches. He called for honest conversations and real behavior changes. England cannot afford that kind of ill-discipline against Argentina in Santiago del Estero.
The Argentina trip will be a very different test. Playing away in South America is one of rugby's hardest challenges. But Saturday's win — built on intensity, bench depth, and a red-card windfall — gives Borthwick something to build on. England looked like a team finding its shape again, even if the job is far from done.
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