Steve Borthwick’s side played with the weight of the world on their shoulders in their first defeat at the hands of Fiji
We are running out of synonyms for crisis. Turmoil, disaster, catastrophe, disarray, calamity … put them all together and they barely do justice to England’s predicament. They had never failed to beat Fiji by less than double figures before this but as the clock ticked down in the final few minutes the Pacific Islanders could bask in the glory of their history-making feats. The blue Fijian flags fluttered in a sun-soaked corner of Twickenham, their supporters dancing with delight. England’s white flags had long since been waved.
Fijian pitch invaders were embraced by their teammates, England supporters – those who turned up – slinked out with their side at a new ebb. It is tempting to herald this as England’s most embarrassing defeat but that does scant justice to Fiji who have been knocking on the door of rugby union’s established elite and now smashed the door down.
