Owen Farrell leads England to Rugby World Cup semifinals with precise kicking
Posted : 15 October 2023
Owen Farrell's precise kicking steered England into the Rugby World Cup semi-finals with a hard-fought triumph over Fiji in Marseille.
England had a comfortable 14-point lead with just 15 minutes left on the clock when Fiji's Peni Ravai and Vilimoni Botitu scored within a frenzied four-minute span to even the score at 24-24.
Farrell, whose inclusion as the starting fly-half over George Ford had raised some eyebrows, silenced his critics as he nailed a crucial drop-goal to put England ahead 27-24 with eight minutes remaining.
An additional penalty from Farrell in the 78th minute provided England with a bit more breathing space. There were anxious moments when Farrell deliberately knocked the ball on, handing a defiant Fiji a penalty as the clock ran into injury time, but England secured the ball on the ground to clinch a memorable victory.
Following defeats for Ireland and Wales on Saturday, England stands as the sole remaining home nation in the tournament. On 21 October, they will face either the host nation, France, or the defending champions, South Africa, depending on the outcome of their quarter-final, which is scheduled to kick off at 20:00 BST.
Either of these formidable opponents will present a considerable challenge for an England team that showcased their best performance of the tournament to date after a tumultuous 2023.
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