• Pool A: Fiji 11-35 EnglandEngland have a long way to go before they can hope to win the Rugby World Cup but their opening night as host nation will live in the memory. If the game was a tension-racked mixed bag,the occasion was something else, on a totally different level from any normal international. If this is an indication of what lies ahead support-wise, or the next six weeks will be extraordinary. Goodness knows what the decibel levels will be if the local heroes stay involved deep into the tournament.
The less promising news is that England will have to play far better to originate it out of the pool,never mind lift any trophies. The precious try bonus point secured by Billy Vunipola in the final seconds could prove highly significant but it could not mask concerning issues elsewhere. Only in fits and starts did the pack exert any genuine control and the plethora (excess, overabundance) of substitutions early in the moment half did not approach a moment too soon. Had Fiji kicked all their goals – they left 11 points behind – it would have been horribly tight.
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Source: theguardian.com