England v Fiji RWC Opener 2015 - Fans pre match thoughts
By Kath
September 17 2015
Well here we go, no turning back now, this is the first match up of the 2015 Rugby World Cup. All the talking has been done and we look forward to a fine display of rugby football by both teams.
Rugby World Cup 2015
Opening Match
England v Fiji
Twickenham (The Home of Rugby) - 18th September 2015 - Kick Off 2000 hrs BST
Like a great many other England fans I am biased of course and I want to see England win and win well but I also want to see a wonderful spectacle of rugby to set the scene for the tournament as a whole. The match will be played in front of a sell-out 82,000 crowd and I am so excited as I will be there.
England will be fielding the same side that beat Ireland in the last warm up match and I would hope they will perform against Fiji in the same manner and style. Some pretty tough matches coming up for England they are in Pool A........... the so called 'Pool of Death' with Fiji, Wales, Australia and Uruguay.
Congratulations to Ben Youngs who will get his 50th Cap on this day!
Fiji have three players in their team who play in the UK, Leicester's Vereniki Goneva, Bath's Nikola Matawalu, and Glasgow's Leone Nakarawa. The rest of the Fijian team I am sure will like the weather that is forecast to be dished up. This is the forecast as I write
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Friday Some good sunny spells for most. But scattered locally heavy showers are likely in places during the day, perhaps with thunder mixed in. Light variable winds.
However, Fiji can be formidable foe and England will be taking them very seriously indeed, regardless of weather and what chat has been prior to the match. Fiji have been training with full blast Twickenham crowd noise to get them used to the atmosphere. Not sure that will really work as I think Twickenham will raise the roof on Friday night (if it had one that is!).
So good luck to all the England players and management, we wish you well and just do us all proud but please don't mess about, don't give stupid penalties, just play good rugby.
England: Mike Brown (Harlequins); Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby), Jonathan Joseph (Bath Rugby), Brad Barritt (Saracens), Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby); George Ford (Bath Rugby); Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers); Joe Marler (Harlequins), Tom Youngs (Leicester Tigers), Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers), Geoff Parling (Exeter Chiefs), Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints), Tom Wood (Northampton Saints), Chris Robshaw (capt, Harlequins), Ben Morgan (Gloucester Rugby).
Replacements:Rob Webber (Bath Rugby), Mako Vunipola (Saracens), Kieran Brookes (Northampton Saints), Joe Launchbury (Wasps), Billy Vunipola (Saracens), Richard Wigglesworth (Saracens), Owen Farrell (Saracens), Sam Burgess (Bath Rugby).
Fiji: Metuisela Talebula; Waisea Nayacalevu, Vereniki Goneva, Gabiriele Lovobalavu, Nemani Nadolo; Ben Volavola, Nikola Matawalu; Campese Ma'afu, Sunia Koto, Manasa Saulo; Apisalome Ratuniyarawa, Leone Nakarawa; Dominiko Waqaniburotu, Akapusi Qera, Sakiusa Masi Matadigo.
Replacements:Tuapati Talemaitoga, Peni Ravai, Isei Colati, Tevita Cavubati, Peceli Yato, Nemia Kenatale, Joshua Matavesi, Asaeli Tikoirotuma.
Officials: Referee: Jaco Peyper, Assistant Referee: John Lacey, Assistant Referee 2,Stuart Berry, TV Match Official: Shaun Veldsman
