Starmer to Urge Allies on Extended-Range Weaponry for Ukraine at London Summit
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- By Katherine Foster
- 11 Aug 2026
Like the silver birches near my house at this time of year, England in the autumn are a mixed offering. They often appear impressive because of shifts and organic growth, ahead of the certain deterioration that results in widespread disarray demanding extensive tidying efforts while feeling irritable. And now, precipitation has commenced.
Steve Borthwick will powerfully wish to change this picture with a decent start already under his belt. The first triumph over the Wallabies in the current autumn series is already better than 2024, when three miserable losses were punctuated by a bog-standard win over Japan acting as the final note in the closing week. There was extensive talk following the series downturn that facing NZ, Australia, and Springboks first created an excessively tough start, where a wave of disappointment followed every weekly outcome. This year, valuable lessons have been absorbed, as the victory over Australia is now followed by today's game versus Fiji offering an opportunity to reinforce the good feelings.
The English squad shows many changes compared to last week's selection, which given the class sprinkled throughout the Fiji squad could be be seen as hubris from Borthwick. However, even though the Fijians are far from pushovers, they are perennial strugglers in this fixture. Only one victory in nine matches versus England occurred in the 2023 World Cup preparatory games.
England is perhaps the top team globally when it comes to defeating sides they are expected to beat; for instance, they are the sole team never beaten by Italy in the Six Nations, with infrequent losses to second-tier teams.
Elara is a seasoned gaming journalist with a passion for slot mechanics and player strategies.