England player ratings vs Fiji | 2023 Summer Nations Series

England player ratings live from Twickenham: It was Friday when Steve Borthwick’s assistant, Kevin Sinfield, calmly vouched that “getting better and improving is never a straight line”.

That’s very true but the line England had drawn so far this year was a squiggly sideways and very much backwards type of scrawl that wasn’t inspiring much optimism for their Rugby World Cup chances.

Suspensions, injuries and deflating losses had all affected Borthwick’s squad during this month’s Summer Nations Series.

So too the purgatory of the blunt attack where there hadn’t been a try scored by a back since Ollie Lawrence dotted down in the corner in the 75th minute in Cardiff last February five and a bit matches ago.

This culminated in the worrying sight of Twickenham only attracting short of a 57,000 attendance just a day after the All Blacks versus the Springboks had packed out Twickenham with 80,000-plus.

Add in an almighty first-half cloudburst and lightening overhead and the gloomy scene was set for a potential Fijian ambush once the sun emerged in the second half.

So it came to pass. Fiji needed just three minutes after the break to cancel out the 3-8 interval deficit and jump into a lead they were never to lose.

England did solve their backline try-scoring drought with three of them scoring, Marcus Smith and Joe Marchant adding to Jonny May's early first-half effort.

But they were a clear second best to a more precise, more creative and more physical Fiji team who were fully deserving of their 30-22 ambush which leaves them ready to become everyone’s favourite second team at the World Cup.

For Borthwick and co, this was another sorry August mess, a few more steps backwards as they were outfought, outmanoeuvred and slipped off too many tackles against a better-drilled and a much better-coached opposition. Here are the England ratings:

15. Freddie Steward – 4

Turnovers in his game have become a concern and there were more here. Showed little in attack and also couldn’t shut the door as the last man for the opening two Fijian tries. The second concession on 53 minutes was the prompt for him to be subbed for Smith.

14. Max Malins – 4.5

A statistically quiet outing and yet he got a flapping hand to a couple of aerial first-half kicks, enough to win back ball for England with a tactic that had miserably failed them this month. Also denied a diving try in at the corner late in the first half, but his second-half showing petered out against way more muscular opposition.

13. Ollie Lawrence – 5

A first start with Tuilagi as his midfield partner, he began with a cracking run past Radradra that revved up the home support. Still very much learning his trade, though. May was rightly furious that he cheaply kicked away first-half possession in the home 22 when a pass would have given the wing a gallop into open space. Went on to become the centre subbed when England fell into their second-half crisis.

12. Manu Tuilagi – 5

Clive Woodward has called for an end to England’s attachment to Tuilagi and there was evidence of why with his game starting with a no-release penalty while there were also too many missed tackles in a rumbustious power-game midfield battle. Did carry hard and regularly, ultimately getting the full 80 to get minutes into his legs for France.

11. Jonny May – 5.5

Officially not in the 33 for the World Cup, he is expected to get the slot vacated by the crocked Anthony Watson and what he did early on here rubber-stamped that inclusion. He scored, excellently hugging the touchline to nip in at the corner, and his vision in the attack was further emphasised by the left-to-right pass that nearly put in Malins. Badly missed the tackle in the lead-up to Fiji’s momentum-changing opening second-half try, although later chased down to deny Waisea Nayacalevu with the score at 15-20.

10. George Ford – 6

Fizzed early on with slick passes in either direction, including the assist for May to score. Some tackles were missed – he was dumped on his backside on one Radradra rampage. Provide the assist for the two second-half England tries but the in-between moment when he was swallowed by Radradra at the cost of a no-release penalty was an example of how greater support for his efforts was lacking. Also damningly messed up by not finding touch with the clearance kick that was eventually run back for Fiji's clinching try.

9. Alex Mitchell – 5.5

England have been in dire need of a hurry-up in this position and there seemed to be plenty more tempo in the opening stages. However, like too many of his teammates, he endured a far less effective second half. Didn't run with the ball enough and also penalised for the high tackle that gave Fiji penalty points to go 15-23 up. Gone on 69.

Ellis Genge – 4

The line he took when taking a Mitchell pass in his own 22 at 8-0 was the type of full-tilt carry England had been lacking this month. Conceded a 23rd-minute scrum penalty for hinging with England’s early pressure dissipating and the loosehead’s effectiveness drained away from there. Hooked on 51 looking out of sorts.

2. Theo Dan – 5.5

Finally, a proper stage for him to audition his talent after two sub runs in already-beaten England teams. Started anxiously with a crooked lineout throw, but quickly recovered, carrying hard and tackling often, going on to play 72 minutes.

3. Dan Cole – 4

A first start since September 2019, the question must be asked is can England afford to have him involved when he is allergic to the ball? Just a single carry in 69 minutes and made the second-fewest number of tackles by the starting pack.

4. Maro Itoje – 5

Borthwick had spoken in recent weeks about how the plan has always been for England to get sharper the longer the month went on. There were glimpses of this regarding Itoje in one elegant restart catch, his dive on a loose ball that squirted from a ruck, and the better first-half cohesion of the maul. However, these were crumbs when it to the winning and losing of this match. Joint highest tackle stats but much more creativity is needed.

5. Ollie Chessum – 5

Can take kudos for the maul appearing more efficient at times, but even that improvement stalled when an 11-man England drive just short of the line near the end of the first half failed. Other aspects of his game were understandably rusty in his first start since March's ankle dislocation, such as not having the footwork to react to the initial break in the disallowed first-half Fiji try. Worryingly, another forward with little or no ball-carrying threat.

6. Courtney Lawes – 5.5

His 100th Test cap started with a penalty-winning turnover and there was a crucial try-saving intercept on 27 minutes when Fiji tried to work an offload. Left bemused by a leg wrap penalty given against him at 8-10 and then couldn’t give his team the leadership necessary to make good their attempted comeback. This should hurt.

7. Jack Willis – 5.5

Used sparingly this month until here, which was understandable given the later end to his French season compared to the Premiership. His tackle stats were high but it was his penalty that allowed Fiji to go 8-20 ahead, an infringement followed by his substitution.

8. Ben Earl – 5

A first start in this No8 position at Test level, he finished a joint chart-topper with his number of tackles. In saying that, he had a schoolboy error nightmare at a ruck, failing to offer any protection and allowing Vinaya Habosi the freedom of London to race straight through and score. As for the nuances of an eight, England need a ball carrier in this role, not a defender, and he terribly failed to inspire. His struggle was encapsulated by the flapped attempted catch of a Ford crossfield kick with his team chasing on the scoreboard.

Replacements:

16. Jack Walker – No rating

Finally out of his summer-long injury rehab, he was given a token eight minutes with England eight points down and beaten. A couple of tackles were his lot.

17. Joe Marler – 3

Sent on with 29 minutes remaining, that appearance could well have been cut short if the head contact angles were available to the referee when he clattered Albert Tuisue. Did little else.

18. Will Stuart – 4

Eleven minutes was nowhere near enough with Cole flogged for him to produce anything other than one decent carry.

19. David Ribbans – 4

Another of the cavalry tossed into the fray on 69 minutes just after England had scored to get it back to 22-23. That Fiji were scoring their result-sealing try soon after said it all about the general lack of impact by this entire late, late bench posse.

20. Lewis Ludlam – 6

England were 15-20 down when he was sent on for Willis with 22 minutes left. Was credited with only a metre less off five carries than the 19 metres Earl managed from his five carries across 80 minutes. Good work rate.

21. Danny Care – 3.5

Another of the 69th-minute group ushered on to take England to a comeback victory. Instead, he brutally knocked on with his first involvement, giving the visitors their territorial in to work the game-clinching score.

22. Marcus Smith – 6

It was 8-17 when he entered for Steward at full-back and he did well in attack, scoring four minutes later when a bounce deceived Radradra and he then carried soundly to the ruck before Marchant got his try. The trouble with this positional tactic is he can’t really be considered a No15 starter with a high ball deluge expected from Argentina.

23. Joe Marchant – 6

Arrived on at the same time Smith, he gave Earl a lesson in how to finish in the right-hand corner, scoring sweetly with a dive in the same spot where the back-rower butchered his crosskick catch.