The roar from 50,209 fans at Liverpool's Hill Dickinson Stadium said everything. When Henry Pollock touched down for his third try in the final minute, the crowd erupted not just for the score, but for what it meant: England's five-Test losing streak was over.
England beat Fiji 73-8 on Saturday in the Nations Championship, recording their largest ever victory over the Pacific Islanders. The final scoreline — 11 tries to 1 — told only part of the story of a night when everything clicked for England after weeks of frustration.
Pollock, a 21-year-old introduced from the bench in the 48th minute, made the most of his chance in style. He won the race to a loose ball for his first try, outpaced Bordeaux-Begles full-back Salesi Rayasi on an arcing run for his second, then hit a sharp angle to score his third. Six tries in 12 Test appearances for a player who has barely started a match.
"This is the most complete performance of the year," said England captain Jamie George afterward. "We spoke about wanting to put smiles on faces and I think we did that for everyone watching."
The crowd certainly seemed happy. Immanuel Feyi-Waboso brought loud cheers when he finished acrobatically down the left wing, twisting his body to touch down in the corner. But perhaps the most touching moments came from two debutants. Benhard Janse van Rensburg, a South African-born centre playing for Bristol, and 19-year-old Noah Caluori from Saracens both scored tries in their first Test appearances — the kind of memory that lasts a lifetime.
England led 35-3 at half-time after Fiji scrum-half Simione Kuruvoli was shown a straight red card for a kick out at Ellis Genge. From that point, the visitors played with 14 men for the rest of the game. England did not let up.
The result matters because the losing streak had been building pressure. A sixth consecutive defeat would have been England's worst run in 20 years. Instead, this victory gives the team something to build on before their next match.
Not everything was perfect — England finished the game without a specialist scrum-half after Alex Mitchell picked up an injury, with Fin and Marcus Smith sharing duties at the breakdown. But the attacking intent was there. Fin Smith had attempted a crossfield kick as early as the fourth minute, and Marcus Smith's sharp footwork created space for multiple tries.
Fiji, who famously beat England at Twickenham in 2023, never looked like they had the consistency to pull off another upset. England took full advantage of poor defense and fast track conditions to run in try after try.
Next up for England is another chance to build momentum. After Saturday, there are plenty of reasons to smile.