While most nations would perhaps feel some joy for Portugal at breaking their duck, England may have felt some relief inside their camp in Le Touquet. Had Fiji lost by an eight-point margin in Sunday’s enthralling fixture, the Pacific islanders would have been knocked out.
In that scenario, England would have faced 2015 runners-up Australia, managed by their former coach Eddie Jones, but Fiji’s late revival sent the Wallabies packing.
Steve Borthwick’s side topped the group with four wins from four, but they were far from their best in their final match of the group stage, scraping past Samoa 18-17 on Saturday afternoon in Lille.
They now face a Fiji side who will be itching to put things right after their narrow defeat, no thanks to Portugal’s 15 heroes.
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