England withheld a stunning second half fightback from a ferocious Fiji as Owen Farrell’s kicking cool sent Steve Borthwick’s side to a semi-final date on Saturday evening.

Having led 24-10 at the hour mark, few could have foreseen the unpredictably enthralling final quarter of action in Marseille, Fiji scoring two converted tries to draw level, before a fantastically taken Farrell drop goal and the fly half’s fifth penalty put England ahead again, an advantage they didn’t relinquish for a second time.

At stake was a semi-final spot on Saturday night in Paris against the winners of France v South Africa, who play in the last quarterfinal. 

Fiji were aiming for to reach a landmark final four stage for the first time in their Rugby World Cup history, England aiming to replicate, and go one better, than their run to the final four years ago.

Having won the toss, England captain, Owen Farrell kicked us off in Marseille, his side showing some sparky passing before a brilliant rip by Fijian flanker, Levani Botia, extinguished the threat.

The breakdown was brutally contested in the opening stages, both sides scrabbling frantically to coherently maintain the ball, build phases, Courtney Lawes the next to show his prowess in a terrific turnover, Elliot Daly’s resultant kick powering them into the twenty-two.

From there, pressure mounted eventually resulted in a penalty in front of the posts, smashed over by Farrell for the game’s first points.

England made their next visit to the attacking twenty-two even more fruitful in the fourteenth minute.  Jamie George, the lineout lumbered towards the line and recycling, Farrell found his centre, Manu Tuilagi to his left, the Sale Sharks man twisting beyond two tackles to score in the corner.

Farrell’s conversion struck the post, Fiji scrumhalf, Frank Lomani also denied shortly after from a penalty which pinballed against the woodwork to the men in navy’s angst.

Lomani landed his next attempt, moments later, though, punishing Tom Curry’s infringement, leaving just five points between the two teams after twenty minutes.

Daylight soon streaked in for Steve Borthwick’s side, Joe Marchant marauding across to join his centre partner on the scoresheet, the number thirteen dotting down a rampant attack, started by Ben Earl’s alertness as Farrell swept it on and Marchant pounced.

Two more from Farrell’s boot, plus the sin binning of Fiji winger, Vinaya Habosi, for clattering Marcus Smith, made it a profitbale couple of minutes for the men in white.

Another penalty effort from Lovani squirmed wide but Fiji swiftly demonstrated their flying colours, a lovely line break by fly-half, Vilimoni Botitu, piercing England wide open as number eight, Viliame Mata dummied dazzlingly and scorched in under the sticks, Lomani unerring with the extras to suddenly bring it back to a thrilling, three-point gap.

Three more from Farrell edged England a score clear as Fiji were replenished to their full fifteen.

Further Fijian in-discipline provided England’s skipper the opportunity to elevate his tally into double digits, Farrell’s third successful penalty taking his total, and more importantly his side’s lead, out to eleven points, 21-10, how it stayed until half-time of an entertaining encounter in Marseille.

Opting for the corner, Fiji denied England a third and possibly, pivotal try early in the second half, the Pool A runners-up doggedly staying in touch on the scoreboard.

Taking their turn to apply attacking pressure, Fiji were repelled by stout defence as England tried to manage a lead that was far from stable.

It increased to a healthier fourteen-point margin, however, Farrell firing his fourth penalty of the day over to put points to another flowing foray into Fiji’s danger zone.

With Borthwick’s team much improved from the August nightmare of Twickenham, against Fiji, especially at the breakdown, a long-range monster kick from Farrell fell just short, but undoubtedly it was the finalists from Japan 2019 in the ascendency entering the final quarter.

That narrative lost control when, shortly after being introduced, Fijian substitute, Peni Ravai rampaging over the whitewash after electric play by fellow replacement, Sireli Maqala out wide.

Simione Kuruvoli converted cooly to make it a seven-point gap, then lashing a penalty off the post as England wilted in the face of sustained, ferocious Fijian tempo and attacks.

Wave after wave, it came, their momentum finally crashing them over for their third the afternoon, Botitu scoring it but indebted to winger, Sami Redradra with a raucous, lung-busting scythe through the half, scattering white shirts like debris behind him and offloading to Botitu who thundered in.

Kuruvoli’s second successful conversion drew us level after a breathless spell, all square at 24 apiece and England looking shellshocked, on the ropes having blown their fourteen-point cushion.

Eight minutes from the end, with their composure somewhat shaken, England retook the lead, as Farrell dropped to the pocket and drilled over a brilliant drop goal under intense pressure, advantage restored!

Earl then accelerated away amazingly, drawing another easy penalty bang in front, Farrell milking the shot-clock to perfection before pushing it over to make it a six point, still nervy as anything, lead going into the final few minutes.

Holing out resiliently in the face of an all-out Fiji engine, England make the final four for a second successive Rugby World Cup, to play the winners of France South Africa on Saturday.

Heartachingly, missing out on their first ever semi-final appearance, Fiji can depart with their heads held high, many hearts won by a thrillingly exciting style of rugby which ensured a high-wire, brilliant comeback, highly contributing to a fine quarterfinal performance, today.

For Steve Borthwick and co, much in the way of game management to improve, but a semi-final berth awaits, an achievement in itself considering their pre-tournament turmoil, including a warm-up loss to this same opposition at Twickenham.

 Now, the question is, just how far will they go?