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England They will be aiming for a ninth consecutive win when they host fiji at the Allianz Stadium on Saturday in the second of their four Test matches this month.
Here the PA news agency looks at five talking points ahead of the 10th meeting between the nations.
everything changes
The experiment continues with only eight of the starting XV failing Australia 25-7 was retained for the second match of the series last Saturday.
This is an explosive team full of pace and
However, expect steve borthwick Narrowing down your approach to selection for the trip to New Zealand on Saturday week in the autumn main event.
Ganz leads the charge
“If I was a player and he was leading, I’d be right behind him,” head coach Steve Borthwick said in reference to Ellis Ganz, who is captaining the side for the third time after regular captain Maro Itoje was restricted to a bench role due to a lower limb injury.
Ganz’s motivational skills were evident in the recent British and Irish Lions documentary ‘Lions Uncut: Australia 2025’, which featured several of his emotional team talks.
But the gladiatorial prop inspires through actions as well as words and will set the tone for England’s physicality.
Make the most of Manny
view of england Emmanuel Faye-Waboso As for his Jason Robinson, but such a glowing comparison – made by assistant coach Kevin Sinfield – means nothing if the electric Exeter wing is denied the ball.
Gallagher Prem’s leading try scorer against Australia was limited to six touches and most of those were not in winning positions, a disappointing statistic considering that his one meaningful run shredded the Wallabies defence.
England have made it a priority to leave out Faye-Waboso, who have also told the 22-year-old flyer that he needs to look for the ball.
it’s too good to fall
Marcus Smith’s obvious preference is to play at fly-half, but his only route into the team at the moment is as a full-back or super-sub.
Just a year earlier he had been the star attraction at Twickenham, at times fighting alone in narrow defeats to New Zealand, Australia and South Africa, only for his free-spirited style to see him slip behind the more structured Finn Smith and George Ford in selection in 10th place.
Too valuable to leave out, England have found a new role for one of their most comfortable players and Smith’s current challenge is to prove he can be a frontline contender for the number 15 jersey.
England beware
Fiji are the lowest-ranked opposition to face England this autumn, sitting in ninth place, but recent history shows how dangerous they can be.
Two years ago they beat Twickenham 30-22 to pull off one of the biggest upsets in English rugby history and two months later they required a huge effort to edge out the Islanders in the World Cup quarter-finals.
Fiji’s attacking prowess is unmatched and this match will be an important test for the improving home defence.