Rassie Erasmus has named four uncapped players in a formidable Springbok side for Saturday’s Nations Championship clash against Wales at Kings Park in Durban, blending youth and experience as the world champions chase an 11th consecutive Test victory.

Key team news

• Jaco Williams, Vusi Moyo, Ruben van Heerden and Carlu Sadie all handed Test debuts
• Moyo, 20, takes the fly-half jersey after starring for Junior Springboks at last year’s World Championship
• Erasmus makes 10 changes to the starting XV that beat Scotland 42-28 in Pretoria
• Eben Etzebeth, Handre Pollard, Ox Nche, Franco Mostert, Andre Esterhuizen and Canan Moodie all unavailable through injury
• Damian de Allende one cap from his 100th Test appearance; Pieter-Steph du Toit two away
• Herschel Jantjies returns to the matchday 23 for the first time since 2023

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Wing Jaco Williams, fly-half Vusi Moyo, lock Ruben van Heerden and tighthead prop Carlu Sadie will all make their Test debuts in a matchday 23 that features 10 changes to the starting XV from last weekend’s 42-28 victory over Scotland in Pretoria. Hooker Andre-Hugo Venter could earn his second cap from the bench, while 2019 Rugby World Cup winner Herschel Jantjies returns to the squad for the first time since facing Argentina in 2023.

The team is out and four players will make their #Springboks debut against Wales on Saturday – more here: https://t.co/GKWqlj7uMa 🤝#ForeverGreenForeverGold pic.twitter.com/Vo0iqwAuN8

— Springboks (@Springboks) July 13, 2026

Moyo and Williams will both have the distinction of debuting at their home ground for the Hollywoodbets Sharks. Sadie, who plays for Investec Champions Cup winners Bordeaux-Begles, and Van Heerden, who has left the DHL Stormers for Montpellier, complete the quartet of new faces in the tight five. All four have previous connections to the Sharks and will be familiar with the Kings Park venue.

The 20-year-old Moyo is the headline selection. He was part of the Junior Springbok side that won the Under-20 World Championship last year and came off the bench in the non-cap season opener against the Barbarians last month. Erasmus drew a comparison between Moyo and the injured Handre Pollard, highlighting the young fly-half’s physical presence and skill set.

“I think Vusi, for his age, is a very big boy. He certainly doesn’t stand back from the physical side of the game,” Erasmus said. “He kicks brilliantly off the tee, his restarts are excellent, he kicks to touch well and he kicks well at goal. For a big guy, he’s got really soft hands.”

Williams, 21, also graduated from the Junior Springbok system and impressed in South Africa A’s 40-0 rout of Zimbabwe last month. He lines up on the right wing in an exciting back three alongside Kurt-Lee Arendse and fullback Aphelele Fassi. Erasmus praised Williams’s physicality, noting that the young wing is far more than just a finisher.

“I always thought Jaco was just a nippy guy and just a finisher, but he’s certainly a guy who brings it physically,” the Springbok coach said. “For a 21-year-old, he’s a powerful player. And he’s got a lot of speed and X factor.”

Around the debutants, Erasmus has placed a spine of seasoned campaigners. Damian de Allende and Jesse Kriel reunite in the midfield, with experienced scrum-half Cobus Reinach partnering Moyo at half-back. Reinach needs just one more try to reach 100 Test points in the green and gold. De Allende, meanwhile, will require only one further appearance after this match to reach his 100th Test cap, while captain Pieter-Steph du Toit is two away from the same milestone.

Du Toit leads the side for the third consecutive week in a loose trio completed by Paul de Villiers at blindside flanker and Jasper Wiese at number eight. In the engine room, Van Heerden packs down alongside Cobus Wiese, who gets another opportunity after being injured before half-time against Scotland. Sadie, Malcolm Marx and Gerhard Steenekamp make up the front row.

Erasmus was particularly pleased to reward Van Heerden’s patience and determination. “When we called him up because of a few injuries, he said he didn’t want to play for the Barbarians. He wanted to play for South Africa,” Erasmus said. “He’s a guy who really wants to be a Springbok. It’s nice to reward someone, and it’s not about handing out caps for free.”

The bench carries a five-three forward-back split, with Venter, Jan-Hendrik Wessels and Wilco Louw providing front-row cover and Ben-Jason Dixon and Marco van Staden covering lock and loose forward. Jantjies, Manie Libbok and Damian Willemse complete the backline options among the replacements. Notably, Wessels, Venter and Van Staden can all cover hooker, giving Erasmus considerable flexibility.

The Springboks are without six frontline players through injury. Eben Etzebeth, Franco Mostert, Andre Esterhuizen, Canan Moodie, Handre Pollard and Ox Nche are all continuing their rehabilitation, forcing Erasmus’s hand to some degree but also opening the door for the quartet of newcomers.

“We told the players from the start of the season that if everything played out well, we would give everyone in the squad a chance to play in the competition, and we are excited to see what the uncapped players, as well as those who have not been in the mix for a while, bring to the team,” Erasmus said.

“Building squad depth has always been one of our pillars since 2018, and to have such an exciting group of players coming through is fantastic as we continue to build our squad for the future. We have full faith in their abilities, and I’m sure the senior guys around them will assist in keeping them calm on the field.”

Despite the experimentation, Erasmus was respectful of the threat Wales pose. Steve Tandy’s side opened their Nations Championship campaign with a 39-24 victory over Fiji before losing 35-21 to Argentina last weekend. They arrive in Durban after a gruelling 5,000-mile journey from South America, but the Springbok coach is not underestimating them.

“Wales put up a good fight in their Six Nations matches against Scotland and Ireland, and they defeated Italy in their final match of the tournament,” Erasmus said. “They also beat Fiji in the Nations Championship before going down against Argentina in a competitive match last week, so they are on the rise and will come out with a point to prove this weekend.”

The last meeting between the sides saw Wales suffer their heaviest-ever home defeat, a 73-0 drubbing in Cardiff last November. But Erasmus knows from personal experience that fortunes can shift quickly against the Welsh. He was part of the side that won 96-13 at Loftus in 1998 and then lost to Wales in Cardiff just a year later. The two sides have met only once before in Durban, in 2014, when South Africa won 38-16.

The starting XV contains 537 Test caps, with a further 188 on the bench, underscoring the quality of the squad despite the rotation. Victory on Saturday would extend the Springboks’ winning streak to 11 Tests and maintain their position at the top of the southern hemisphere standings alongside New Zealand on 10 points.

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Springbok team to face Wales

15. Aphelele Fassi (Toshiba, 16 caps)
14. Jaco Williams (Hollywoodbets Sharks, uncapped)
13. Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles, 89 caps)
12. Damian de Allende (Wild Knights, 98 caps)
11. Kurt-Lee Arendse (Mitsubishi Dynaboars, 31 caps)
10. Vusi Moyo (Hollywoodbets Sharks, uncapped)
9. Cobus Reinach (DHL Stormers, 51 caps)

8. Jasper Wiese (Urayasu D-Rocks, 45 caps)
7. Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz, 97 caps) – captain
6. Paul de Villiers (DHL Stormers, 2 caps)
5. Ruben van Heerden (Montpellier, uncapped)
4. Cobus Wiese (Vodacom Bulls, 3 caps)
3. Carlu Sadie (Bordeaux-Begles, uncapped)
2. Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears, 88 caps)
1. Gerhard Steenekamp (Vodacom Bulls, 17 caps)

Replacements:
16. Andre-Hugo Venter (DHL Stormers, 1 cap)
17. Jan-Hendrik Wessels (Vodacom Bulls, 11 caps)
18. Wilco Louw (DHL Stormers, 30 caps)
19. Ben-Jason Dixon (DHL Stormers, 9 caps)
20. Marco van Staden (Vodacom Bulls, 34 caps)
21. Herschel Jantjies (Bayonne, 24 caps)
22. Manie Libbok (Kintetsu Liners, 29 caps)
23. Damian Willemse (DHL Stormers, 51 caps)

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Match details: South Africa v Wales, Kings Park, Durban. Saturday 19 July, 17:40 (SAST).

Argentina bounced back from their opening-round defeat to Scotland with a convincing 35-21 victory over Wales at Estadio San Juan del Bicentenario in Round 2 of the Nations Championship. Number eight Joaquin Oviedo scored twice as Los Pumas produced a dominant five-try display, mixing close-range power with penetrating running through a porous Welsh defence. Wales had struck first through captain Dewi Lake, but Argentina’s pace and physicality proved too much as the hosts secured a bonus-point victory before half-time.

Key moments

4 mins – TRY WALES: Dewi Lake powers over from a driving maul after Wales win the lineout 5m out. Sam Costelow converts. (Argentina 0-7 Wales)

6 mins – TRY ARGENTINA: Joaquin Oviedo crashes over after Santiago Carreras breaks down the left and links with Mateo Carreras. Gonzalo Garcia provides the final pass. Tomas Albornoz converts. (Argentina 7-7 Wales)

15 mins – TRY ARGENTINA: Justo Piccardo finishes in the corner after Bautista Delguy claims a brilliant aerial take above Sam Costelow on the 22. The ball is moved swiftly through Mateo Carreras. Albornoz converts from the sideline. (Argentina 14-7 Wales)

23 mins – DISALLOWED TRY WALES: Jac Morgan appears to score after sustained forward pressure near the Argentine line, but referee Paul Williams rules Morgan was bound to the ruck before picking up the ball. Wales awarded a penalty.

24 mins – TRY WALES: Rhys Carre barges over from close range after a quick tap penalty. Tomos Williams provides the assist. Costelow converts. (Argentina 14-14 Wales)

34 mins – TRY ARGENTINA: Marcos Kremer peels off the back of a driving maul and crashes over from close range after Argentina win a lineout 5m out. Albornoz converts. (Argentina 21-14 Wales)

39 mins – TRY ARGENTINA: Santiago Carreras finishes off sustained Pumas pressure in the Welsh 22, crossing on the left after the forwards create an overlap. Albornoz converts. (Argentina 28-14 Wales)

Half-time: Argentina 28-14 Wales. Argentina controlled the half after Wales’ dream start through Dewi Lake’s early try. Los Pumas’ pace and power proved the difference, with Oviedo, Piccardo, Kremer and Carreras all crossing. Wales fought hard through Carre’s try but conceded two quickfire scores before the break.

48 mins – TRY ARGENTINA: Joaquin Oviedo dives over for his second after Santiago Carreras breaks into the Welsh 22 and delivers a superb offload. Albornoz converts. (Argentina 35-14 Wales)

56 mins – DISALLOWED TRY ARGENTINA: Matias Moroni scoops up a loose ball to score, but TMO review reveals a knock-on by Simon Benitez Cruz in the build-up. Jac Morgan penalised for offside.

67 mins – TRY WALES: Ben Warren drives over from close range after sustained pressure from a lineout. Tomos Williams sets up the score. Costelow converts. (Argentina 35-21 Wales)

Full-time: Argentina 35-21 Wales

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Wales flew to San Juan hunting a third consecutive Test victory for the first time since the 2023 World Cup, but this was always going to be a different proposition to the Fiji win in Cardiff. Argentina, stung by their 47-38 defeat to Scotland in Cordoba, made five changes and arrived at Estadio San Juan del Bicentenario with a point to prove. Lock Guido Petti marked his 100th cap by leading the side out, but it was Wales who drew first blood in a frenetic opening.

Steve Tandy made three changes of his own, with Sam Costelow replacing Dan Edwards at fly-half, Ellis Mee starting on the wing ahead of Louis Rees-Zammit, and James Botham coming in at blindside flanker. The selection raised eyebrows, particularly the decision to bench Rees-Zammit, but Tandy pointed to the travel demands and a minor niggle picked up before the Fiji match.

The visitors struck with barely three minutes on the clock. Ellis Mee tapped down a Tomos Williams box kick on the Argentine 22, and Wales set up a lineout 10 metres from the line. Having scored three driving maul tries against Fiji the previous week, they conjured a fourth as Lake was driven over to give Wales the dream start. Costelow added the extras, but the lead lasted just two minutes.

Argentina responded with a flowing move that showcased their backline threat. Santiago Carreras broke down the left and linked with Mateo Carreras, whose surge was halted only by a brilliant last-ditch tackle from Eddie James. The reprieve was momentary. The hosts kept the ball alive and Oviedo arrived at pace to take a pass from Garcia and power over for his sixth international try. Albornoz converted to level proceedings.

Los Pumas seized the initiative again on 15 minutes when Bautista Delguy produced a moment of brilliance. The wing towered above Costelow to claim an attacking high ball, offloading in one motion. The ball was shifted swiftly through Mateo Carreras before Piccardo evaded James’ tackle and crossed in the corner. Albornoz converted superbly from the touchline to make it 14-7.

Wales were being forced to defend desperately and put in 117 tackles during the first half alone, but they managed to convert a spell of sustained pressure midway through the opening period. Adam Beard and Dillon Lewis won turnovers, and when the penalty came, Costelow kicked to the corner. Morgan appeared to have crashed over from close range, only for a lengthy TMO review to rule the try out, with the flanker adjudged to have been bound to the ruck before picking up the ball.

Wales did not panic. From the resulting penalty, Lake tapped quickly and drove for the line before Williams whipped out a pass to Carre on the charge. The Saracens loosehead powered over under the posts for his fifth try in six internationals, a remarkable record that has made him one of Wales’ most potent attacking weapons. Costelow converted to make it 14-14 with just over half an hour played.

The momentum, however, shifted decisively in Argentina’s favour. Incessant pressure and a series of Welsh penalties allowed Los Pumas to set up camp inside the 22. From a five-metre lineout, Kremer peeled off the back of the driving maul and crashed over on 34 minutes. Albornoz converted, and Argentina were not finished. Five minutes later, the forwards did the hard work before creating an overlap out wide. Santiago Carreras strolled over virtually untouched to secure the bonus-point try before half-time. At 28-14, Los Pumas had seized complete control.

Argentina emerged for the second half with the same intensity and struck within eight minutes of the restart. Piccardo ran a powerful line into the Welsh 22 before turning the ball infield. Santiago Carreras provided a superb offload, and Oviedo was on hand to dive over for his second of the afternoon. Albornoz converted to extend the lead to 21 points, and the contest appeared all but over.

Replacement Matias Moroni thought he had added a sixth try when he scooped up a loose ball to cross, but the TMO intervened for the second time, identifying a knock-on by Benitez Cruz in the build-up. Morgan was penalised for offside, but Argentina were unable to capitalise from the resulting penalty as the Welsh defence held firm on the goal line, with Pablo Matera held up over the whitewash.

Wales captain Lake was forced from the field with a limp in the 57th minute, with Ryan Elias coming on to win his 50th cap. Tandy continued to unload his bench, bringing on Rees-Zammit, Max Llewellyn, and Teddy Williams, while Exeter back-rower Kane James entered the fray to win his first cap in place of Aaron Wainwright, who had himself made his Test debut in San Juan eight years earlier.

James had barely been on the field when Warren, winning just his second cap after debuting against Fiji, crashed over for his first international try. The score came from a five-metre lineout, with the Ospreys prop eventually taking a scoring pass on the outside from Williams. Costelow’s conversion brought Wales back to within 14 points at 35-21, and the tourists pressed hard in the closing stages for a further try that would have secured a losing bonus point.

They came agonisingly close, breaking out from deep inside their own 22 with the clock in the red, but a knock-on just as space appeared ended their hopes. Rees-Zammit complained of an off-the-ball challenge that went unpenalised, but Argentina held firm to close out a convincing victory.

“We started well scoring an early try, but we dropped off,” Lake said afterwards. “They were more physical than us and they beat us in that battle. I don’t think structure is the problem, it’s the physical element. We were dropping off too many tackles. We have to work harder and be quicker.”

Try-scorer Carre acknowledged the setback but urged perspective. “Argentina had a better performance than they did last week and we probably took a step back compared to Fiji, so it was ultimately disappointing,” the loosehead said. “We are still building and have produced some good performances lately, with three in a row before this, so while it is a setback we knew it was going to be a long journey. Argentina are a great team and if you aren’t at 100% then they are probably going to get the best of you.”

Argentina captain Julian Montoya paid tribute to the Welsh effort while acknowledging his side’s improvement. “We knew that Wales were going to be tough and a quality side,” Montoya said. “They’re getting better and better and we knew they were never going to go away. We got better in a lot of things and we’re really proud of getting the win.”

The result means Argentina have their first victory in the Nations Championship after two rounds, while Wales’ mini revival has been brought to a halt. Tandy will take some positives from the performance, not least the continued potency of the driving maul and Carre’s remarkable try-scoring record, but the defensive frailties and inability to match Argentina’s physicality across the gain line will concern him greatly.

The challenge only gets harder from here. Wales travel to Durban to face world champions South Africa on Saturday, a fixture that will test Tandy’s squad to its absolute limit after a long and draining season. Argentina, meanwhile, remain at home and head to Santiago del Estero to host England in what promises to be another compelling Nations Championship encounter.

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Teams

Argentina: 15 Santiago Carreras, 14 Bautista Delguy, 13 Lucio Cinti, 12 Justo Piccardo, 11 Mateo Carreras, 10 Tomas Albornoz, 9 Gonzalo Garcia, 8 Joaquin Oviedo, 7 Marcos Kremer, 6 Santiago Grondona, 5 Matias Alemanno, 4 Guido Petti, 3 Tomas Rapetti, 2 Julian Montoya (c), 1 Boris Wenger.
Replacements: 16 Ignacio Ruiz, 17 Mayco Vivas, 18 Francisco Coria Marchetti, 19 Franco Molina, 20 Pablo Matera, 21 Simon Benitez Cruz, 22 Matias Moroni, 23 Ignacio Mendy.

Wales: 15 Blair Murray, 14 Ellis Mee, 13 Eddie James, 12 Joe Hawkins, 11 Josh Adams, 10 Sam Costelow, 9 Tomos Williams, 8 Aaron Wainwright, 7 Jac Morgan, 6 James Botham, 5 Adam Beard, 4 Ben Carter, 3 Dillon Lewis, 2 Dewi Lake (c), 1 Rhys Carre.
Replacements: 16 Ryan Elias, 17 Nicky Smith, 18 Ben Warren, 19 Teddy Williams, 20 Kane James, 21 Kieran Hardy, 22 Max Llewellyn, 23 Louis Rees-Zammit.

Match details

Argentina 35 (Tries: Oviedo 2, Piccardo, Kremer, S. Carreras; Conversions: Albornoz 5/5)
Wales 21 (Tries: Lake, Carre, Warren; Conversions: Costelow 3/3)
Half-time: 28-14

Venue: Estadio San Juan del Bicentenario, San Juan
Referee: Paul Williams (New Zealand)

England ended a five-match losing run in emphatic fashion, running in 11 tries to thrash 14-man Fiji 8-73 at Hill Dickinson Stadium in Liverpool.

Key moments

6 mins – TRY ENGLAND: Fin Smith’s cross-field kick evades Tommy Freeman and bounces back infield off the corner post for Marcus Smith to pounce and ground it in the corner. F. Smith converts from the touchline. (Fiji 0-7 England)

13 mins – PENALTY FIJI: Caleb Muntz slots from 44m after England are penalised for collapsing the scrum. (Fiji 3-7 England)

15 mins – TRY ENGLAND: Alex Coles takes the lineout and England get their maul rumbling towards the line. Jamie George burrows low and gets it down. F. Smith converts. (Fiji 3-14 England)

27 mins – YELLOW CARD FIJI: Levani Botia is shown yellow for a cynical breakdown infringement, diving over the ruck to slap the ball.

28 mins – TRY ENGLAND: England tap the penalty and hammer away with direct carries from close range. Guy Pepper scoops it up at the base and powers over. F. Smith converts. (Fiji 3-21 England)

35 mins – TRY ENGLAND: England win a scrum penalty and go again from the set piece. Immanuel Feyi-Waboso carries hard towards the line before Jack van Poortvliet delivers a slick short pass to Benhard Janse van Rensburg, who dives over on debut. F. Smith converts. (Fiji 3-28 England)

38 mins – TRY ENGLAND: Marcus Smith dances past defenders towards the 5m line before van Poortvliet slips into a hole and offloads inside to Seb Atkinson, who dives over. F. Smith converts. (Fiji 3-35 England)

40+4 mins – RED CARD FIJI: Simione Kuruvoli is sent off for kicking out at Ellis Genge while on the ground. Kalaveti Ravouvou’s try is disallowed as the foul play occurred in the build-up.

Half-time: Fiji 3-35 England. England were dominant throughout the opening 40 minutes, scoring five unanswered tries through their set piece, direct carrying and sharp handling. Fiji’s discipline was poor, with Botia sin-binned and Kuruvoli red-carded on the stroke of half-time. Fin Smith was metronomic from the tee and Marcus Smith caused problems with his footwork in the backline.

48 mins – TRY FIJI: Fiji show some early second-half fight as Salesi Rayasi steps through a gap and finds Ravouvou, who carries into the 22. Repeated offside penalties give Fiji field position before Tevita Ikanivere barges over from close range. Muntz misses the conversion. (Fiji 8-35 England)

53 mins – TRY ENGLAND: Fin Smith kicks to the corner and the ball is fired off the top of the lineout to the backs. Marcus Smith sends it wide left to Feyi-Waboso, who leaps and grounds it one-handed in the corner under pressure. F. Smith converts from the touchline. (Fiji 8-42 England)

55 mins – TRY ENGLAND: Ben Earl wins a turnover and rolls in a grubber kick into the in-goal area. Henry Pollock wins the foot race with Jiuta Wainiqolo to ground it one-handed. F. Smith misses the conversion. (Fiji 8-47 England)

60 mins – TRY ENGLAND: England recycle quickly in midfield and swing it wide right to Noah Caluori, who streaks into space down the touchline and passes inside to Henry Slade, who rolls over in the tackle. F. Smith converts. (Fiji 8-54 England)

64 mins – TRY ENGLAND: England claim the lineout and get the maul moving before the ball is spread wide. Fin Smith fires it to Slade, who sends debutant Caluori away for an acrobatic swan dive in the corner. F. Smith misses the conversion. (Fiji 8-59 England)

68 mins – TRY ENGLAND: An intercepted Wainiqolo pass gives England possession. The ball is moved left through Slade, who pops it to Pollock. He juggles, grips and accelerates past Rayasi to score his second in the corner. F. Smith converts. (Fiji 8-66 England)

80 mins – TRY ENGLAND: England claim clean lineout possession and Pollock runs a cracking short line, bursting through the gap to complete his hat-trick. F. Smith converts. (Fiji 8-73 England)

Full-time: Fiji 8-73 England

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Match report

England ended a five-match losing run in emphatic fashion as they ran in 11 tries to record their largest ever victory over Fiji at a sun-drenched Hill Dickinson Stadium in Liverpool. Replacement flanker Henry Pollock scored a second-half hat-trick, debutants Benhard Janse van Rensburg and Noah Caluori both crossed on their first appearances, and fly-half Fin Smith landed nine conversions from 11 attempts in a comprehensive Nations Championship Round 2 display.

Steve Borthwick’s side, beaten 45-21 by South Africa in Johannesburg the previous weekend, needed a convincing response and they delivered one from the opening minutes, establishing scrum and maul dominance that Fiji simply could not match. The visitors’ ill-discipline compounded their problems, with Levani Botia sin-binned in the first half and scrum-half Simione Kuruvoli sent off on the stroke of half-time, leaving the Flying Fijians to play the entire second period with 14 men.

England’s intent was clear from the outset as Fin Smith targeted the corners with his kicking game. His early cross-field kick towards Tommy Freeman on the right bounced over the winger’s head but ricocheted back infield off the corner post, allowing Marcus Smith to pounce and ground the ball for one of the more unusual opening tries in recent memory. Smith converted from the touchline and England were away.

Caleb Muntz pulled three points back for Fiji with a well-struck 44-metre penalty after England were penalised for collapsing the scrum, but it proved only brief respite. England’s lineout maul was proving irresistible and from a catch-and-drive inside the 22, captain Jamie George burrowed low to extend the lead to 14-3 before the first water break.

The penalties continued to mount for Fiji and Botia was shown a yellow card in the 27th minute for a cynical infringement at the breakdown, diving over the ruck to slap the ball. England capitalised immediately. From a close-range ruck, Guy Pepper scooped the ball at the base and powered over for his first international try. Smith’s conversion made it 21-3.

With Fiji’s scrum creaking in Botia’s absence, England turned the screw through the set piece. A scrum penalty gave them prime attacking position and after Immanuel Feyi-Waboso carried hard towards the line, Jack van Poortvliet delivered a slick short pass to Janse van Rensburg, who crashed over on debut just 218 seconds after entering the field as a head injury assessment replacement for Henry Slade. The South Africa-born Bristol centre, who had qualified for England on residency grounds just three days earlier, could scarcely have dreamed of a more instant impact.

Marcus Smith then produced a dazzling piece of footwork to dance past several defenders towards the five-metre line before van Poortvliet slipped into a hole and offloaded inside to Seb Atkinson, who dived over for England’s fifth try. At 35-3 with Smith perfect from the tee, England were cruising.

The half ended in dramatic fashion. Fiji won a scrum penalty and launched a promising attack that saw Kalaveti Ravouvou burst through a gap and sprint clear to score under the posts. However, the television match official had spotted Kuruvoli lashing out with his boot at Ellis Genge while attempting to get off the floor moments earlier. Referee Hollie Davidson, guided by TMO Mike Adamson, had no option but to show a permanent red card for the deliberate act. Ravouvou’s try was chalked off and Fiji headed into an extended 20-minute half-time break facing a 32-point deficit with only 14 men.

Despite their numerical disadvantage, Fiji showed early second-half fight. Salesi Rayasi stepped through a gap and found Ravouvou, whose carry into the 22 sparked a period of sustained pressure. Repeated English offside penalties gave Fiji field position and captain Tevita Ikanivere barged over from close range to score the visitors’ only try of the afternoon.

Any hopes of a Fijian revival were swiftly extinguished. Fin Smith’s pinpoint kick to the corner set up a lineout from which the ball was fired off the top to the backs. Marcus Smith sent it wide left to Feyi-Waboso, who produced an outstanding acrobatic finish, launching himself into the air and grounding the ball one-handed in the corner despite Rayasi’s challenge.

Two minutes later, Pollock announced his arrival. Ben Earl won a turnover and rolled in a clever grubber kick behind the defence. Pollock, introduced at the 48-minute mark, showed devastating pace to win the foot race with Jiuta Wainiqolo and ground the ball one-handed at full stretch. It was a try that underlined the 21-year-old’s explosive ability and prompted immediate calls from pundits for him to start against Argentina the following weekend.

Caluori, the 19-year-old Saracens sensation who had joint-topped the Premiership try-scoring charts in his debut season, entered the fray after replacement scrum-half Alex Mitchell was forced off with a hamstring injury. The teenager made an immediate impression, streaking down the right touchline with blistering pace before unselfishly feeding Slade inside to score England’s eighth try and bring up the half-century.

Caluori did not have to wait long for his own moment. From a lineout, the ball was worked wide through Fin Smith and Slade before the debutant received possession on the wing and finished with a spectacular swan dive in the corner. Smith’s conversion attempt drifted wide but the youngster’s beaming grin said it all.

Pollock was not finished. An intercepted pass from Wainiqolo gave England possession and the ball was moved left through Slade, who popped a pass to Pollock. He juggled, gripped and accelerated on an arcing run past Rayasi to score his second in the corner. Smith converted to make it 66-8.

The hat-trick arrived in the final minute. England claimed clean lineout possession and Pollock ran a sharp angle onto Tom Curry’s short pass, bursting through the gap to canter over. He marked the occasion by dropping Kylian Mbappe’s celebration before switching to Jude Bellingham’s outstretched arms. Smith converted to seal a record 73-8 scoreline.

Marcus Smith spent the final 20 minutes at scrum-half after Mitchell’s departure and looked comfortable in the role, offering Borthwick a potential option for a six-two bench split going forward. Mitchell will miss the Argentina fixture.

Post-match reaction

Borthwick was pleased with the defensive effort above all else. “What really pleased me was the defensive performance,” he said. “We played a Fiji team that is so dangerous with ball in hand. To restrict them right to the end was an impressive defensive performance. To be alive for each and every minute was pleasing.”

Captain George praised the squad’s collective response after a difficult week. “We have been honest and had difficult conversations. We have made sure we have been accountable as players,” he said. “We wanted to put on a show for the guys in the north. I am impressed by how we stuck together.”

Fin Smith, named player of the match, acknowledged the relief of ending the losing run. “It has been tough and not a comfortable place to be,” he told ITV. “We let the shackles off. Some better bits of attack but still clunky at times. You will never turn down scoring 11 tries.”

Debutant Caluori was characteristically hungry for more. “It doesn’t get much better than that. The whole week has been unreal,” he said. “I am hungry for more. I am not complacent.”

From the Fiji camp, captain Ikanivere accepted responsibility. “We’re quite disappointed with the outcome. We didn’t do the basics well, gave England too much ball, and the yellow card and red card didn’t help us,” he said. “It’s done now – we’ll look ourselves in the mirror, get better and focus on next week.”

What’s next

England now travel to Argentina to face the Pumas at the Estadio Unico Madre de Ciudades in Santiago del Estero next Saturday, where a far sterner examination awaits. Fiji head to Edinburgh to take on Scotland at Murrayfield. While the margin of victory was emphatic, several observers cautioned against reading too much into the result given Fiji’s disjointed display and numerical disadvantage. The true measure of England’s progress will come under the lights in Argentina.

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Teams

Fiji: 15 Salesi Rayasi, 14 Vuate Karawalevu, 13 Kalaveti Ravouvou, 12 Josua Tuisova, 11 Jiuta Wainiqolo, 10 Caleb Muntz, 9 Simione Kuruvoli, 8 Levani Botia, 7 Lekima Tagitagivalu, 6 Peceli Yato, 5 Isoa Nasilasila, 4 Tevita Ratuva, 3 Mesake Doge, 2 Tevita Ikanivere, 1 Eroni Mawi.
Replacements: 16 Sam Matavesi, 17 Livai Natave, 18 Peni Ravai, 19 Temo Mayanavanua, 20 Elia Canakaivata, 21 Pita-Gus Sowakula, 22 Frank Lomani, 23 Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula.

England: 15 Marcus Smith, 14 Tommy Freeman, 13 Henry Slade, 12 Seb Atkinson, 11 Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, 10 Fin Smith, 9 Jack van Poortvliet, 8 Ben Earl, 7 Guy Pepper, 6 Ollie Chessum, 5 George Martin, 4 Alex Coles, 3 Joe Heyes, 2 Jamie George (c), 1 Ellis Genge.
Replacements: 16 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 17 Asher Opoku-Fordjour, 18 George Kloska, 19 Tom Curry, 20 Henry Pollock, 21 Alex Mitchell, 22 Benhard Janse van Rensburg, 23 Noah Caluori.

Match details

Fiji 8 (Try: Ikanivere; Penalty: Muntz 1/1; Conversion: Muntz 0/1)
England 73 (Tries: M. Smith, George, Pepper, Janse van Rensburg, Atkinson, Feyi-Waboso, Pollock 3, Slade, Caluori; Conversions: F. Smith 9/11)
Half-time: 3-35

Venue: Hill Dickinson Stadium, Liverpool
Referee: Hollie Davidson (Scotland)