England have been watching footage of their calamitous defeat by Fiji in August as a reminder of what not to do in Sunday’s World Cup quarter-final.

Fiji stormed Twickenham 30-22 to claim their first ever victory over the red rose in eight meetings and defence coach Kevin Sinfield has been showing clips of the worst moments to the squad ahead of the rematch in Marseille.

To offset memories of the one the nation’s lowest ebbs, Sinfield has also been demonstrating to England how far they have successfully rebuilt come since that grim day.

“That match has been brought up this week. We would have been stupid not to because it was almost like a line in the sand, something for us to step forward from,” hooker Jamie George said.

“We learned a huge amount that week and we are a significantly better side on the back of it.

“We weren’t physical enough and some clips have been shown because it is a reminder we can’t be that team again, playing against a very, very good Fiji who are very dangerous when you give them what they want.

“Kev Sinfield said ‘I wasn’t sure about showing you this, but we can’t be this team again’.

“We are still hurting from performances like that, I still hurt from performances three years ago. You don’t like to be reminded of those things but if that can fuel the fire then why not?

“It has been received really well and the way we trained today (Wednesday) showed our intent is going to be very different, there was a bite to training.

“We probably got a few things wrong tactically during the week of that game but emotionally and physically we were off as well for whatever reason. It was us not being the England team we wanted to be.

“Fiji running riot at Twickenham and it’s been like ‘that can’t happen’ and then showing some positive clips of where we have come to now, how we have defended through the World Cup.”

Since that victory, the Islanders’ progress has been mixed with the narrowest of defeats to Wales and a victory over Australia, followed by an escape against Georgia and shock loss to Portugal.

They grew steadily worse as Pool C unfolded, perhaps in evidence of the pressure they are under to meet the expectations of a hopeful nation and at being cast as darlings of the World Cup.

England are significant favourites heading into the Stade Velodrome showdown but lightning could strike twice against one of the most naturally gifted teams in the tournament.

“I’m a fan of their work. I like how they have grown their set piece, everyone talks about Fiji and thinks about their offloading game, which they are fantastic at, they talk about the way they move the ball but they are a team that if you break it down are based around the set piece,” George said.

“They have big men in the pack who know what they are doing, they have played in top leagues for a long time. The way they have evolved their game is impressive and they deserve to be in this quarter-final.”

Wales warmed up for Euro 2024 qualifying action by cruising to a 4-0 win over Gibraltar in Wrexham.

All the goals came in the first half as Kieffer Moore scored twice with Ben Davies and Nathan Broadhead also getting on the scoresheet.

After last month’s victory in Latvia, it was the first time Wales had achieved back-to-back wins since November 2021.

The performance, especially the opening period, will encourage Wales manager Rob Page ahead of the vital qualifier against Croatia on Sunday, even if Gibraltar’s standing in world football must be taken into account.

This was the maiden meeting between the two nations at senior level and also marked Wales’ return to the SToK Racecourse for the first time since beating Trinidad and Tobago there in 2019.

The Football Association of Wales were rewarded with a sell-out crowd of 10,008 as fans in the north showed their appetite to support the national team.

Page rested several regulars with the Croatia fixture in mind, when Wales will realistically need at least a point to keep alive hopes of automatic qualification for next summer’s European Championship finals in Germany.

Davies took over the captaincy in the absence of the injured Aaron Ramsey, the Tottenham defender winning his 81st cap as Gibraltar played the 81st match in their history.

Charlie Savage, the 20-year-old son of former Wales midfielder Robbie, Joe Low, Regan Poole and Liam Cullen were handed first caps.

Savage, in particular, could be satisfied with his night’s work as he showed composure in possession and exhibited a good range of passing.

Gibraltar came into the game 198th in the world with only nine nations below them on FIFA’s rankings table.

Preparing to play the Republic of Ireland in Euro qualification on Monday, Gibraltar had suffered six straight defeats and not scored since a 1-0 friendly win over Andorra 11 months ago.

The loudest cheer in the opening minutes came when Savage evoked memories of his father with a crunching, but fair, challenge on Tjay De Barr that left the Gibraltar forward on the floor.

Broadhead was off target with a couple of efforts before Wales took the lead after 22 minutes from an unlikely source.

Skipper Davies rose highest from Broadhead’s corner and Gibraltar’s fallibility in the air was punished again when Moore met Savage’s cross to score expertly off a post.

Daniel James, on early for the injured Wes Burns, was causing havoc down the left and forced a sprawling save from Dayle Coleing.

The over-worked Gibraltar goalkeeper also denied Savage twice and Liam Walker cleared another Davies effort off the line.

Broadhead then took James’ 35th-minute pass and turned smartly to find the top corner of Coleing’s net with a sweet right-footed strike.

Cullen twice went close and the fourth arrived on the stroke of half-time as James scampered free again to deliver a perfect cross for the waiting head of Moore.

Page made a raft of substitutions at half-time and the contest lost much of its rhythm.

The changes also removed the possibility of Wales eclipsing their record 11-0 win against Ireland in 1888.

Tom Bradshaw was inches from connecting with a Josh Sheehan cross that flashed across goal, but the second half was largely a nondescript affair.

James shook the crowd from their slumber with an angled effort that rattled the woodwork, but Wales had already achieved their objectives heading into Sunday.

John McGinn insists there is more to come from Scotland as they sit on the cusp of qualifying for a second successive European Championship.

Steve Clarke’s men have won their first five Group A qualifiers, including a 2-0 victory over Thursday’s opponents Spain at Hampden Park last March.

Scotland are top of the group, six points ahead of Spain having played a game more, and Aston Villa midfielder McGinn is confident about his country’s future.

He said: “There’s plenty more to come. We’re all at a good age. We’re getting more and more experience of these games.

“The great thing for us is there’s a couple of great young players bubbling away in the background that could come and improve us.

“It’s a really exciting time to be a Scotland player. The fans are here regardless of the results, but we’re now giving them some success which we’re enjoying. Hopefully we can carry that on.

“When you come back up the road you hear about the positive impact you’re having on the whole country. Everyone is behind the team again.

“We need to be better (than the win over Spain). We’re away from home, a team is stronger at home. It wasn’t as hot in Glasgow in March.

“We need to be aggressive, it’s in our nature as a country. Hard working, determined, we’ll fight for every ball.

“We need to get the balance right. We need to be physical and aggressive, but we’ve got some great players as well. At the Spain game, we showed good moments of quality.”

McGinn was not in the mood to get into a verbal battle with Spain captain Rodri, who claimed after the defeat in Hampden that the way Scotland played was “rubbish”.

He said: “It doesn’t matter anymore. I’ve probably lost count of the amount of trophies he’s won since that game.

“There’s not much we can say to him. He’ll have said things in the heat of the moment, but it’s gone now.

“He’s a world-class player who we all respect as a squad, and I think the country should follow.”

Steve Clarke believes Scotland’s maximum performance against Spain on Thursday night will be good enough to get them at least the point they need to qualify for Euro 2024.

The Scots have won their first five qualifiers including a morale-boosting 2-0 victory over Spain at Hampden Park in March.

Scotland are six points clear of Luis de la Fuente’s side at the top of the table and will qualify for next summer’s finals in Germany if they avoid defeat in Seville or if Norway fail to beat Cyprus on the same night.

Scotland have Georgia away and Norway at home in November to complete their campaign.

Clarke said: “Belief will be part of it, obviously we have to get the tactics right. The players have to put into practise on the pitch what we have spoken about on the training ground.

“They have to play to our maximum and belief is a part of that as well.

“We have to play our game as well as we can and I believe that will be good enough to get something from the game.

“They are a very good team. Obviously they won the Nations League in the summer.

“I think when we played them in March they were probably a little bit in transition between the previous coach and new coach.

“They had a disappointing World Cup campaign so we maybe got them at a good time in March. We know we have to be very good to get a positive result tomorrow night.

“I think we have been constantly improving over my tenure as head coach.

“We are improving all the time, we are striving to improve, trying to add little bits to our game that will make us more competitive against the top teams but we understand we still have a bit to go.”

“But we don’t come here thinking that we have to sit in and defend all night.

“We have to be as effective with the ball as we were at Hampden. We want to get the job done as quickly as possible.

“If we are good enough to get it done tomorrow night that would be great. If not we have two more chances in November and we have those chances because we started the group so well.

“We have 15 points from five games, that is a good start.

“We know we have to get more points to get over the line. Do I think this team will finish the group on 15 points? No, I think we will get more points. Whether that is tomorrow or in November.”

Clarke was diplomatic when asked about Spain captain Rodri, who claimed the way Scotland played at Hampden was “rubbish” as he accused them of wasting time, provoking his team-mates and falling over.

The former Kilmarnock boss said: “I can’t even remember what he said, to be honest. It is not something that I ever get involved in.

“That game was in March, this is October. A totally different game.”

Going The Distance could have a bright future having flourished in the mud to claim the British EBF Future Stayers Oath Novice Stakes on a wet afternoon at Nottingham.

Trained by Ralph Beckett, the son of Lope De Vega started his career by finishing third to David Menuisier’s Futurity Trophy-bound Devil’s Point at Ffos Las and then returned to the Welsh venue to open his account with a victory which was much more cosy than the winning distance of a neck would suggest.

Sent off the 11-8 favourite to add to his tally at Colwick Park, the Marc Chan-owned youngster took advantage of the late absence of the well-regarded Midair to hold off Hughie Morrison’s newcomer Surrey Fire at the finish.

“He knew his job today and I thought after Ffos Las (his first start) he would know his job,” said winning jockey Rossa Ryan.

“He was good (last time) when Laura (Pearson) rode him and he impressed me today, he’s just a good, honest horse. When I gave him the option to go, he stuck his head down and galloped and he doesn’t overdo things, he just jumps and travels at whatever momentum you want him at.

“He’s perfect really to ride and he’s done it well and I would say he looks like he has a bit to grow.

“I don’t think heavy ground is essential for him but he’s able to quicken on it. I imagine a trip next year won’t be a problem to him.”

The victory was part two of a double for the jockey who had earlier claimed the opening Trustatrader Apply Today EBF Novice Stakes aboard World Of Darcy for John Ryan.

Second in the National Stakes earlier in the season, the Soldier’s Call colt was in action over seven furlongs in the Tattersalls Stakes only two weeks ago, but thrived for the drop in class to register a confidence boosting success at 7-2.

The winning trainer said: “He’s only a small horse but his heart is in the right place and he can knuckle down in all sorts of ground. I don’t think he liked it really but was good enough to get through it.

“When we ran him over seven, Luke (Morris, jockey) said drop him back to six and get him some confidence because he had had a few hard days at work. Luke was right and Rossa gave him the perfect ride there.”

World Of Darcy holds an entry in York’s Rockingham Stakes on Saturday afternoon and that Listed event is one option connections will consider.

John Ryan added: “We’ve got a big entry at the weekend but we’ll look at that and see what the ground does. I think he won easily enough but the ground does drag it out of him and Rossa said he did empty out quick on that ground. But we’ll see how he recovers and make a decision tomorrow.”

Harry Eustace’s Divine Comedy (4-1) continued her rise through the ranks by picking up her third win of the season in the Trustatrader Fully Vetted Tradespeople Fillies’ Handicap, while there was a first success for the William Muir and Chris Grassick-trained Go Daddy (7-2), who showed plenty of heart to pick up the British Stallion Studs EBF Nursery Handicap.

“That was brilliant and we thought we had deserved a win earlier in the season,” said Grassick.

“William had selected him from the breeze-ups and did a fantastic job of going and securing the horse. He is busy buying new ones at the sales and will be delighted.

“Its a lovely story for the owners. They have been with William a very long time and this means a lot to them. They’ve had a lot of nice horses and lost a horse earlier this year. So to have a horse go and do this for them has really helped keep the dream alive for everybody and it will mean a lot to William. I’m sure he will have a tear in his eye at the sales.”

The ground deteriorating to heavy helped William Stone’s Dashing Roger (7-2 favourite) make all for a five-and-a-half-length triumph in the Trustatrader For Tradespeople You Can Trust Handicap.

“He’s just been waiting for this ground,” said Stone.

“He loves soft or heavy ground and it’s hard to find. If we can find the ground, he will keep running.”

David O’Meara’s Stressfree (100-30 favourite) built on a second at Ayr recently to open his UK account in the Trustatrader Approved And Reviewed Trades People Handicap, while the concluding Trustatrader You Can Trust Our Traders Apprentice Handicap went the way of the Olly Williams-trained Foursome (5-1).

Reece Topley insisted he was just getting started on his “unfinished business” in World Cup cricket after blowing Bangladesh away with four wickets in Dharamshala.

Topley claimed four for 43 as England coasted to victory against the Tigers, making a big impression after being recalled to the side following defeat to New Zealand.

It was a welcome day in the sun for a 29-year-old who has had to endure more than his fair share of dark times due to a litany of injury problems that could easily have ended his career.

Five different stress fractures in his back left him sidelined for long periods and denied him the chance to push for a place in the triumphant 2019 campaign, while his luck got even worse on the eve of last year’s T20 tournament in Australia.

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The 6ft 7in left-armer had been lined up to play a key role with the ball, only to trip on a boundary sponge during a fielding drill and rupture ligaments in his left ankle. When England went on to lift the trophy at a packed MCG, it was hard for him not to imagine his own hands on the silverware.

Now he has a real chance to control his own story. With his body holding up well and his game in good order, things are finally falling into place.

“When I came out here I certainly felt like there was some sort of unfinished business with World Cups,” he said.

“Last year it was certainly an opportunity missed, I was bowling really well in the lead-up and then sort of had the rug pulled out from under my feet.

“The last-minute injury was very disappointing, but I’ve been wrapped up in cotton wool this time and it’s nice to be here. Hopefully there are more contributions because I don’t feel like I’ve sort of scratched the surface with World Cups.

“Obviously being injured and not being able to do what you are good at, what you love, is awful. Watching others take your wickets or score your runs is another horrible thing.

“But you have to ask yourself what are the choices? Do you sit around and feel sorry for yourself or do you just have to crack on and get yourself back to full fitness?”

England’s circuitous route around India sees them playing in eight different cities across nine group games – with Ahmedabad and Dharamashala already in the rearview and Delhi up next for Sunday’s game against Afghanistan.

The constant cycle of internal flights and coach transfers means rotation has been discussed, especially among the fast bowling department, but Topley has already missed enough games for a lifetime and has no desire to sit out.

He described his omission in favour of spinner Moeen Ali against New Zealand as a “take your medicine” situation, but is willing to be a workhorse if required as the competition unfolds.

“There’s a lot of chat about the schedule. To be honest, it’s one game every five days, it seems,” he said.

“I mean, county cricketers do much worse. If we play for Surrey, we’d be more tired. It’s not really an excuse for us. Sevens games is 70 overs maximum.

“In our changing room, we’ve all played county cricket, which can be quite a torrid time. You have to play a lot more regularly than this seven weeks, so I think everyone in our team can handle it pretty well.”

An animal rights activist who ran on to the track at the Epsom Derby has been handed a suspended prison sentence for breaching a High Court injunction.

Ben Newman was filmed running on to the course as the 12-furlong Classic began on June 3.

The Jockey Club, which owns Epsom, had previously been granted an injunction banning the Animal Rising group, of which Newman is a supporter, from intervening in the event.

During contempt of court proceedings in London on Wednesday, the High Court heard Newman had admitted breaching the order and was given a two-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months.

Tim James-Matthews, for Newman, said he “reiterates his sincere apologies to the court, the claimant and those affected by his conduct”.

The court heard the “committed animal rights campaigner” had entered the track close to the finish line shortly after the start of the race – with the horses around two minutes away.

Mr James-Matthews said the horses could have been stopped if needed and that Newman’s actions were different from the 1913 suffragette protest in which Emily Davison was fatally injured after she ran in front of the King’s horse.

“This is not that case, this is a considerable distance – literally – from that scenario,” the barrister said.

Mr Justice Miles said he accepted Newman was “motivated by conscientious objectives” but did not rule on whether they were legitimate.

He continued: “The only issue for the court at this hearing is the appropriate sanction to be imposed on the defendant in respect of his admitted contempt of court.

“He deliberately flouted the order. His actions were planned in advance.

“He was not acting under pressure or compulsion and his actions were his own.”

Mr Justice Miles was told that Newman previously pleaded guilty to causing public nuisance in related criminal proceedings and had spent more than 30 days in custody prior to his sentencing in July.

Handing down the suspended sentence, the judge noted Newman had apologised and “tasted imprisonment”.

Following the sentencing, Nevin Truesdale, the Jockey Club’s chief executive, said: “Ben Newman’s decision to breach security and run on to the track while the Derby was under way was a reckless stunt which could have compromised the safety and security of humans and horses.”

He added: “We were always very clear that if anyone chose to breach the injunction then we would not hesitate to take further action.

“It has always been our intention for that action to be both clear and proportionate and we accept the sanction imposed on Mr Newman by the court today.

“More widely, it is our sincere hope that by pursuing this matter in the High Court it sends a very clear message to anyone who might in future consider disrupting races in such a way, that we will never tolerate illegal and reckless behaviour of this kind.”

The high-powered Miami Dolphins will be without one of their top playmakers for the foreseeable future.

Rookie running back De'Von Achane is being placed on injured reserve and will miss at least four weeks with a knee injury sustained in the Dolphins' 31-16 win over the New York Giants on Sunday.

Miami coach Mike McDaniel told reporters Monday that the team was evaluating the severity of Achane's injury and on Tuesday, NFL Network Insiders Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport reported he will miss several games. By Wednesday, the decision was made to place him on IR.

The injury, however, is not expected to be season-ending, but will keep him out for games against the Carolina Panthers, Philadelphia Eagles, New England Patriots and Kansas City Chiefs. He will be eligible to return after the team's Week 10 bye for Miami's game against the Las Vegas Raiders on November 19.

It's still not certain when Achane was injured, though he didn't play in Miami's final two series against the Giants. The outcome, however, was also not in doubt with the Dolphins holding a comfortable lead in the fourth quarter, so it was initially believed he was being rested after rushing for 151 yards and Miami on its way to a victory.

The injury puts a damper on what has been a sensational three-game stretch for Achane, who has gone from relatively unknown to offensive sensation.

After being a healthy scratch in the season opener and recording only one carry for five yards the next week, Achane had a breakout game in Miami's historic 70-20 win over the Denver Broncos in Week 3, leading the team with 203 rushing yards while scoring four touchdowns.

He followed that performance with 120 scrimmage yards and two more TDs the following week in a 48-20 loss to the Buffalo Bills.

With another touchdown against the Giants, Achane became the first player in the Super Bowl era with seven TDs in his first four NFL games.

The 21-year-old leads the NFL with an incredible 12.1 yards per carry and is second in rushing yards with 460. He is 50 yards behind rushing leader Christian McCaffrey despite having 61 fewer rushing attempts.

His injury means Raheem Mostert will handle the bulk of the running back duties for the Dolphins, while Jeff Wilson Jr. could also be activated from injured reserve to add backfield depth.

Mostert has rushed for 314 yards with seven touchdowns and has another 128 receiving yards and a receiving score.

The Dolphins are atop the AFC East, and play the winless Panthers this Sunday followed by a highly anticipated showdown with the undefeated Eagles in Week 7.

Minella Indo proved he is no back number as he produced a superb front-running performance in the Irish Daily Star – Best For Racing Coverage Chase at Punchestown.

Winner of the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 2021 and runner-up to stablemate A Plus Tard 12 months later, Henry de Bromhead’s charge was pulled up on his most recent appearance in the blue riband back in March.

But despite the doubts, the 10-year-old was a well supported 15-8 favourite for his seasonal reappearance and the money proved right as he dominated from the front under Rachael Blackmore.

Minella Indo was soon bossing the proceedings, with last season’s Cheltenham Gold Cup third Conflated and his five-time Grade One-winning stablemate Delta Work his nearest pursuers for much of the way.

Blackmore steadily upped the ante and on several occasions outjumped the chasing pair before pulling clear before the home turn.

In the end it was left to Gordon Elliott’s apparent third string Hurricane Georgie to chase down the leader, but while she got within a length and three-quarters, Minella Indo was well on top at the line.

Betfair make the winner a 50-1 shot to regain his Gold Cup crown at Prestbury Park in March.

De Bromhead said: “He’s given us so many great days and I’m delighted to see him start his season like that. His work was really good, but it was also good before the Gold Cup and it just didn’t happen for him there. It was a messy start and it just didn’t happen for him.

“He jumped from fence to fence today, his ears were pricked and Rachael said he really enjoyed it. I’m also delighted that Barry (Maloney, owner) is here as well.

“We entered him in the north (Ladbrokes Champion Chase at Down Royal) but that’s only a couple of weeks away, so we’ll see. We can enjoy today and decide in the next couple of weeks what we want to do.

“The Grand National is something we can discuss. Coming here after the Gold Cup, we couldn’t make any big plans but we’re really encouraged now for the rest of the season.”

Hercule Du Seuil clung on to complete his five-timer in the BetVictor Proud Sponsors Of Irish Racing Novice Chase at Punchestown.

The six-year-old has not looked back since suffering an odds-on reverse on his fencing debut in early May, winning at Ballinrobe, Killarney, Galway and Roscommon in the space of four months.

Carrying the colours of JP McManus, Hercule Du Seuil was the 4-11 favourite to notch a third successive Grade Three success for trainer Willie Mullins and jockey Mark Walsh – and while he did ultimately get the job done, his supporters were made to sweat before collecting their winnings.

For much of two-and-a-quarter-mile contest it looked like a straight duel, with the market leader and Lucid Dreams engaging in a nip-and-tuck tussle before Hercule Du Seuil went clear from the third-last.

However, just when it looked like he was home for all money, Senecia came from the clouds to throw down a late but serious challenge and there was only a neck between the pair at the line.

Mullins said: “Lucid Dreams kept him honest the whole way and Mark had to change to plan B and drop him in behind. He jumped well when Mark needed him and it’s a great performance to win five in a row.

“If the weather stays dry we might get another run into him and we could then give him a mid-season break and come back in the spring.

“I’d rather keep him to the minimum trip if I could but he can go out to two and a half. Mark felt maybe he didn’t want the ground as soft as it was today.”

With last season’s Champion Bumper hero A Dream To Share a significant non-runner, Fascile Mode the most of what looked a gilt-edged opportunity to make a successful start to his jumping career in the BetVictor Predictor Maiden Hurdle.

The Tom Mullins-trained five-year-old looked a potential bumper star himself after winning on his Leopardstown debut last Christmas, but was well beaten at the Dublin Racing Festival and the Cheltenham Festival and disappointed again at Fairyhouse in the spring.

Michael O’Sullivan’s mount was the 1-2 favourite for his return in a race that has been won by three subsequent Cheltenham winners in the past seven years in Labaik (2016), Samcro (2017) and Marine Nationale (2022).

While he made a couple of minor errors in the jumping department, he showed his class by pulling 12 lengths clear of his rivals from the final flight.

“It’s great to get that job done and I was expecting a good run. I was disappointed he made that mistake at the third-last but it was his first day at school,” said Mullins.

“Since he got here today he was gawking everywhere and was on his toes for some reason. He settled well in the race which was great, but he was having a good look at everything and I’d say he would have learned a lot. I’m very happy with him.

“There is a novice in Cheltenham at the November meeting or the Royal Bond (at Fairyhouse) but his jumping will have to sharpen up. He’s brilliant at home and has done a lot of schooling.”

Jamie George says England will call upon all their big-game experience to overcome Fiji in Sunday’s World Cup quarter-final.

England have appeared in the last eight of the tournament in all but one of its editions – on home soil in 2015 – and reached the final four years ago when they lost 32-12 to South Africa in Yokohama.

Of that matchday 23, there are 15 survivors currently in Steve Borthwick’s squad who are continuing preparations for the Stade Velodrome showdown.

Fiji, meanwhile, are appearing in the knockout phase for only the third time and their first since 2007, placing a question mark over their ability to deliver when the pressure is on.

“We can’t shy away from the fact this is probably one of the biggest games we are ever going to play in,” Saracens hooker George said.

“We’ve got a lot of players who have been there and done that on some big stages. We’ve got players who have experience of a World Cup final and the latter stages of World Cups and some players who are playing in their fourth World Cup.

“We’ve got a great group of senior players who are very open and honest with the younger players who this could be intimidating for.

“But this is why we’re here. We want to play on the biggest stage, the quarter-final of a World Cup is exactly where we want to be. Next week want we to be in the semi-final and so on.

“These are exciting times and the more experienced players need to draw on their experiences and make sure everyone is in the right spirit going into the weekend.”

Simon Raiwalui’s men are regarded as the most complete Fiji team to have emerged from a nation of 925,000, even if their group campaign ended with a seismic upset by Portugal.

They have become less reliant on their historical strengths such as outrageous running skills and athletic offloads to become a force at the breakdown and the scrum.

Their line-out remains a recurring weakness, however, and this vulnerability will be targeted relentlessly by England with head coach Steve Borthwick and consultant coach George Kruis plotting their downfall.

“Fiji’s set piece as a whole has got better. Portugal targeted their line-out in particular and that was very interesting, particularly in how they went about it,” George said.

“We’ve got some complete line-out pigs in our team. George Kruis coming in, who is a complete nause and obviously Steve Borthwick – his father! – doing a lot.

“Their conversations together are not necessarily fascinating, but they are going to be coming up with a very good plan.

“We trust in that plan and we are going to try and put Fiji under a huge amount of pressure in that area. We trust the line-out pigs to be coming up with a good plan.”

Donnacha O’Brien has confirmed his Cheveley Park Stakes heroine Porta Fortuna to be firmly on course for a trip to the Breeders’ Cup next month.

Winner of the Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot earlier in the year, the daughter of Caravaggio was subsequently placed in the Phoenix Stakes and the Moyglare Stud Stakes before making it third time lucky at Group One level at Newmarket late last month.

Each of Porta Fortuna’s four wins to date have come over six furlongs and she has not yet raced beyond seven, but O’Brien is happy to roll the dice over a mile in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Santa Anita on November 3.

“She’s back in good form and the plan is to go to America with her, all being well,” he said.

“We’ll find out on the day about the trip. If she’s going to get the mile anywhere, it will be at the Breeders’ Cup.

“She handles fast ground and she’s plenty of experience so we’re looking forward to it.”

Ireland full-back Hugo Keenan is delighted to have “X-factor” wings Mack Hansen and James Lowe fit and ready to join him for a blockbuster World Cup quarter-final with the All Blacks.

Hansen appeared to be a major doubt for Saturday’s Stade de France clash after sitting out training on Tuesday and Wednesday due to a calf problem sustained in last weekend’s 36-14 win over Scotland.

Lowe has also overcome injury – an eye issue suffered against the Scots – to retain his starting role for the crunch meeting with his native New Zealand.

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Ireland ended their final Pool B fixture in unfamiliar fashion with a scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park on the left flank and centre Garry Ringrose on the right.

Head coach Andy Farrell has been able to name an unchanged starting XV for a titanic last-eight encounter, including a first-choice backline.

“Its brilliant,” said Keenan. “We finished the game with an interesting back three.

“Jamo did a brilliant job, didn’t he? He is such a creative player, so exciting, so he slotted in well on the wing.

“To have the two lads back again brings a bit of X-factor to the back three. I always enjoy playing with them so great news.”

Hansen on Tuesday watched from the stands at Ireland’s training base of Stade des Fauvettes in the northern outskirts of Paris and was again absent on Wednesday, while Lowe took part in both sessions.

Veteran Keith Earls was thought to be pushing for a first appearance since the opening weekend of the tournament before Farrell sprung a surprise with his team announcement.

Referring to Australia-born Hansen, the coach said: “Everyone is very confident that he’s going to be fine for the game.”

Ireland propelled themselves to the top of the world rankings courtesy of last summer’s landmark 2-1 tour success in New Zealand, in addition to launching their current run of 17 consecutive victories.

Farrell’s in-form side have enjoyed a growing rivalry with the All Blacks, winning three of four meetings during his tenure and four of six overall.

“We haven’t played them for over a year now,” said Keenan. “They will have improved massively.

“They will have taken the learnings from those games and they’ll come out gunning for us as well.”

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Lock Tadhg Beirne, who started all three Tests against New Zealand in 2022, feels there is a healthy respect between the two nations.

“Rugby is one of those games where, when you go on to the field, you go to beat the crap out of each other for 80 minutes and when you step off it, you’re very happy to grab a beer with your opposition number and enjoy the moments afterwards,” he said. “It’s no different with New Zealand.

“One thing I will remember from New Zealand is after the last Test, we had beaten them and we ran out of beer pretty quickly.

“The New Zealand squad were pretty quick to bring in their beer and leave us celebrating. That’s respect too, off-field respect.

“It will be no different on Saturday, we’re both going to go at it for 80 minutes and we’ll be very happy to walk in and have a beer in the changing room with them, for sure.”