England were handed the toughest possible start to international rugby union’s brand new competition as they travelled to take on reigning back-to-back world champions South Africa on opening weekend.

The Springboks were typically dominant at their high-altitude Ellis Park fortress in Johannesburg, scoring three tries in the first 11 minutes as their visitors were initially blown away, but clawed back to 17-14 at the break before a punishing second half saw them eventually thrashed 45-21.

Though few realistically ever expected England to go to South Africa and win, the manner of the defeat has only added to the sense of growing concern 15 months out from the 2027 World Cup in Australia.

England will be expected to end that disastrous sequence of five straight losses as they now face Fiji and Argentina on back-to-back weekends, though both fixtures are potentially fraught with more difficulty despite those two teams having also lost their own respective Nations Championship openers.

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While the Pumas were brushed aside 33-24 by free-flowing Scotland on home soil, Fiji shipped six tries and were outgunned 39-24 by Wales in what was a “home” game for them that actually took place in Cardiff.

Fiji vs England date, kick-off time and venue

Fiji vs England in the 2026 Nations Championship takes place on Saturday, July 11, with kick-off scheduled for 2:10pm BST. That is 1:10am on Sunday morning in Fiji.

Despite technically being another ‘home’ game for Fiji, the match is being held at the Hill Dickinson Stadium in Liverpool - home of Premier League football club Everton.

Fiji’s homes matches in this competition are taking place in the UK, partly because their national stadium in Suva does not meet the necessary requirements and also for commercial reasons.

New venue: Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium has previously hosted rugby league matches

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How to watch Fiji vs England

TV channel: Fiji vs England is being televised live and free-to-air in the UK on ITV1, with coverage beginning at 1:20pm BST - after the conclusion of Japan vs Ireland in Australia.

New Zealand vs Italy, Australia vs France, South Africa vs Scotland and Argentina vs Wales are also being shown live in the Nations Championship on ITV on Saturday.

Live stream: The game is also available to view live online via the ITVX website and app, which is free with a registration.

Live blog: Follow all the action as it happens with Standard Sport’s live blog.

Borthwick has made only two changes to the starting England team who were dominated by the Springboks, with Tommy Freeman moving back to the wing and Henry Slade coming in at outside centre to partner Seb Atkinson, with Cadan Murley having suffered a shoulder injury in Johannesburg.

The other alteration is in the back row, where Tom Curry is replaced at openside flanker by Guy Pepper.

The headline selections are on the bench, where former South African Under-20 international Benhard Janse van Rensburg is poised to earn his first official England cap after becoming eligible on residency grounds after five years spent at Bristol and previously London Irish.

He recently featured for an England XV in a non-cap defeat by France, but was not available to play against the country of his birth.

Huge talent: Noah Caluori has impressed massively since bursting on to the scene at Saracens

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Also in line for his maiden senior international appearance this weekend is Saracens teenager Noah Caluori, who is preferred to Tom Roebuck after the latter was called up following Murley’s injury.

The same is also true for Bristol tighthead George Kloska, who will back up Joe Heyes after Bath’s Beno Obano was also injured against South Africa and Emmanuel Iyogun was drafted into the wider squad, along with Roebuck and Chandler Cunningham-South.

Marcus Smith is again at 15 after George Furbank’s late bout of appendicitis that forced him to withdraw from a scheduled first England start since 2024 last week, joined in the back three by Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso.

Atkinson and Slade are in midfield, with Jack van Poortvliet again preferred to Alex Mitchell and Ben Spencer at scrum-half. Fin Smith continues at fly-half.

The front row has a familiar look with Ellis Genge, stand-in captain Jamie George and Heyes, with Alex Coles and George Martin at lock as usual skipper Maro Itoje is rested this summer.

Ollie Chessum is at 6, with Pepper and Ben Earl rounding out the back row as Henry Pollock again has to make do with a replacement berth.

Return: Levani Botia hasn’t started a game for Fiji since the 2023 World Cup quarter-final against England

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Fiji coach Senirusi Seruvakula makes nine changes to the team beaten by Wales, including Levani Botia and Peceli Yato both earning their first starts for a number of years in a new-look back row that also features Lekima Tagitagivalu.

Out go Pita-Gus Sowakula, Kitione Salawa Jr and Elia Canakaivata.

Mesake Doge comes in at tighthead for ex-England U20 prop Tim Hoyt, with Tevita Ratuva drafted in at lock to replace Temo Mayanavanua.

Caleb Muntz is preferred to Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula at fly-half, joining Simione Kuruvoli in a new half-back partnership as Frank Lomani also drops to the bench.

Janse van Rensburg’s Bristol team-mate Kalaveti Ravouvou is at 13 following a knee injury to Semi Radradra and Vuate Karawalevu is promoted to the right wing over Selestino Ravutaumada.

There is no place in the matchday squad for ex-France international Virimi Vakatawa, who was called up by Fiji following the injury to Radradra.

Fiji are led by hooker Tevita Ikanivere, who retains his starting berth alongside loosehead Eroni Mawi, lock Isoa Nasilasila, full-back Salesi Rayasi, centre Josua Tuisova and wing Jiuta Wainiqolo.

Fiji vs England lineups

Fiji XV: Rayasi; Karaivalevu, Ravouvou, Tuisova, Wainiqolo; Muntz, Kuruvoli; Mawi, Ikanivere (c), Doge; Ratuva, Nasilasila; Yato, Tagitagivalu, Botia

Replacements: Matavesi, Matave, Ravai, Mayanavanua, Canakivata, Sovakula, Lomani, Armstrong-Ravula

England XV: M Smith; Freeman, Slade, Atkinson, Feyi-Waboso; F Smith, Van Poortvliet; Genge, George (c), Heyes; Coles, Martin; Chessum, Pepper, Earl

Replacements: Cowan-Dickie, Opoku-Fordjour, Kloska, Curry, Pollock, Mitchell, Janse van Rensburg, Caluori

Fiji vs England head to head (h2h) history and results

Fiji vs England prediction

England’s glaring issues that contributed to their worst-ever Six Nations showing were on full display once more against masterful South Africa, who, as expected, exploited them ruthlessly despite being without a number of their key forwards including captain Siya Kolisi and Eben Etzebeth, who were both late withdrawals.

They were caught completely cold from the outset and, having initially battled back admirably, ill-discipline then proved costly yet again during a hugely disappointing second half, while they were never able to come close to matching the dominant Springboks physically.

Selection decisions such as persisting with wing Freeman in the centres have continued to prove divisive among fans, many of whom still do not appear to know exactly what brand of rugby Borthwick is consistently attempting to play - an obvious worry in itself some three-and-a-half years into his reign.

Day to forget: England were brushed aside by South Africa at Ellis Park on opening weekend

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England simply must end their losing run against Fiji, who will have been unhappy with their own second-half display against Wales, totally undone by the set-piece after drawing 10-10 at half-time following a first 40 minutes in which they showcased their usual exciting style with ball in hand.

Flipping between absolutely sublime, skilful running attacking rugby full of sensational offloads and then a frustrating lack of solid fundamentals is a very familiar story for Fiji, which England should be able to work to their advantage in a much-needed win to ease some of the mounting pressure on Borthwick.

England to win, by 14 points.

Fiji vs England match odds