England v Chile LIVE: Rugby World Cup result and final score as Henry Arundell stars with five tries
England secured a third Rugby World Cup victory in a row with a dominant win over Chile
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Winger Henry Arundell scored five tries as England tore up the safety-first playbook from their first two matches at the Rugby World Cup in a crushing 71-0 defeat of Chile on Saturday to hand coach Steve Borthwick a selection quandary.
England, who made 12 changes from the starting lineup against Japan, scored 11 unanswered tries, including the five for 20-year-old winger Arundell, equalling an England record, albeit against the lowest ranked team in the tournament who are playing at their first World Cup.
The changes included captain Owen Farrell returning from suspension but arguably it was another flyhalf, Marcus Smith, starting for the first time at fullback, who stole the limelight, with flashes of the spontaneous touches England have missed in past matches. Capping his efforts was his kick-through and impressive acceleration to touch down in the first half.
Chile also came wanting to play an open game but after a see-saw first 20 minutes they were largely on the back foot, with a malfunctioning line-out.
The victory means England have taken a decisive stride towards the quarter-finals. They top Pool D on 14 points after three victories and can only be denied a knockout berth if they lose to Samoa and results conspire to produce a three-way tie, when points difference would be decisive.
Follow all of the reaction here live from Stade Pierre-Mauroy. Plus get the latest Rugby World Cup odds here and tips on England vs Chile here.
England vs Chile LIVE – Rugby World Cup
The England players are on their way to the stadium in Lille, as this clip shows. I really wasn’t expecting the accompanying music to be quite so dark and dystopian...
Los Condores gearing up for ‘most important game in Chile’s history’
While a lot of the attention will be on how England’s attack clicks in Lille, Chile aren’t just cannon fodder for the Red Rose - this is a huge occasion for Chilean rugby in its own right.
In fact, head coach Pablo Lemoine has insisted this is the biggest game in the team’s history. Qualifying for their first-ever World Cup has given them an opportunity to play against tier-one nations that they otherwise wouldn’t have, so Lemoine is eager for them to embrace it.
“We do not have opportunities to play against the tier one. To improve, we must take advantage of these opportunities,” Lemoine explained. “You have to play and enjoy it because it is surely the most important game in Chile’s history.
“England have a pragmatic, organised game. A lot of kicking game, a lot of strategy, with high-class players looking to counter-attack. I imagine a lot of aggressiveness in the forwards.
“We have been watching them, we saw their games with Argentina and Japan, and ultimately we will have to be intelligent and not commit penalties because it is an important platform for them. I hope we can accomplish that part of the plan.”
Chile have impressed in spurts so far in France, although have faded as the match wore on in 42-12 and 43-10 defeats to Japan and Samoa respectively so far. And Los Condores captain Martin Sigren, who plys his club trade in England, for Championship side Doncaster Knights, want to see his side put in an 80-minute performance.
“It’s a huge challenge,” Sigren said. “There are very few opportunities one has to face a team with as much history as England and on a Rugby World Cup stage. We want to take advantage of it and enjoy it to the fullest.
“I think they are going to look to exhaust us emotionally and see if we give up, which will make it easier for them. That is what we want to fight and it is the most important challenge. We have to be in the fight and battle during the 80 minutes regardless of the score.”
England vs Chile: Team news
Steve Borthwick makes 12 changes to his England line-up, and a couple of positional switches, too, as he uses this opportunity to look at his wider squad. Owen Farrell returns from suspension and captains the side at fly half, while Marcus Smith makes a first ever professional start at full back in a backline full of pace and creativity.
Bevan Rodd, David Ribbans, Jack Willis, Max Malins and Henry Arundell will make their first appearances of the tournament from the start, and replacement hooker Jack Walker should join them from the bench.
Chile also have a fresh look, with coach Pablo Lemoine keeping just six of those that started against Samoa in his run-on side. Full back Francisco Urroz is set for a World Cup debut after eight years as international as Inaki Ayarza drops to the bench, which contains six forwards and two backs.
Santiago Videla is absent after suffering a head injury against Samoa, but brother Benjamin is a starter at scrum-half.
England vs Chile: Line-ups
A reminder of today’s line-ups. Steve Borthwick has rung the changes as he looks to rest his biggest hitters and offer up a chance for some of his squad players to make a mark on this World Cup.
England XV: Bevan Rodd, Theo Dan, Kyle Sinckler; George Martin, David Ribbans; Lewis Ludlam, Jack Willis, Billy Vunipola; Danny Care, Owen Farrell (captain); Max Malins, Ollie Lawrence, Elliot Daly, Henry Arundell; Marcus Smith.
Replacements: Jack Walker, Joe Marler, Will Stuart, Ollie Chessum, Ben Earl; Ben Youngs, George Ford, Joe Marchant.
Chile XV: Salvador Lues, Augusto Bohme, Matias Dittus; Clemente Saavedra, Javier Eissmann; Martín Sigren (captain), Ignacio Silva, Alfonso Escobar; Benjamin Videla, Rodrigo Fernandez; Franco Velarde, Matias Garafulic, Domingo Saavedra, Cristobal Game; Franciso Urroz.
Replacements: Tomas Dussaillant, Vittorio Lastra, Inaki Gurruchaga, Pablo Huete, Thomas Orchard, Raimundo Martínez; Lukas Carvallo, Inaki Ayarza
England vs Chile LIVE – Rugby World Cup
More of this today from Owen Farrell? The returning England skipper was practising his kicking during the stadium run at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy yesterday.
Farrell will make his comeback from a red-card ban today with all eyes on how the dual 10-15 playmaker pivot of him and Marcus Smith combine in Lille.
England vs Chile LIVE – Rugby World Cup
England scrum-half Danny Care has said he hopes France’s star player Antoine Dupont will be back from injury soon after he suffered a facial fracture in their Rugby World Cup game against Namibia on Thursday.
The captain left the pitch following a clash of heads with Johan Deysel.
Deysel’s yellow card for the collision in the 45th minute, with France leading 54-0, was upgraded to red following a review by the television match official.
“We’re all sending him our best,” Care said of Dupont.
“At the World Cup, you want to see the best players, Antoine is the best player in the world.”
England vs Chile – match odds
Having released the pressure on themselves with back-to-back wins over Argentina and Japan, England will look to make it three from three in Pool D of the Rugby World Cup against Chile at Stade Pierre-Mauroy in Lille on Saturday (4.45pm UK time).
Coming into the tournament with just three victories from nine tests since Steve Borthwick replaced Eddie Jones as head coach at the end of last year, there was uncertainty from bookmakers as to how the English were going to fare in the 10th edition of the RWC.
England are at the summit of the pool table, a full nine points clear of their upcoming opponents. First-time finalists at the World Cup, Chile were on the receiving end of a 42-12 reversal to Japan in their tournament debut at Stadium de Toulouse on 10 September.
Six days later in Bordeaux, Samoa emerged triumphant over the Chileans with a similar final scoreline of 43-10.
It was always going to be a big ask of Pablo Lemoine’s side to come out on top in these games, especially as they had never previously faced Japan or Samoa in an international test.
This is also the case with England as well as Argentina, who they face in their final pool game in Nantes on 30 September.
Meanwhile, in the latest Rugby World Cup odds, England have moved in from 16/1 to 12/1 outsiders following their positive start.
Get the latest odds and tips on England vs Chile here, while we’ve also got a comprehensive wrap of all the Rugby World Cup odds.
England vs Chile LIVE – Rugby World Cup
England will look to extend their winning run while Chile face another tough battle in Pool D.
While victory is expected from Steve Borthwick’s men, the South Americans will provide stiff opposition.
Here, we examine five talking points heading into the game:
Farrell enters the Rugby World Cup and talking points ahead of England vs Chile
While victory is expected from Steve Borthwick’s men, the South Americans will provide stiff opposition.
England supporters head to Lille
England fans have hopped on the Eurostar and descended on Lille in their thousands to watch their side this afternoon.
It’s all been very good-natured in the northern French city and there are a fair few Chile fans around the city as well.
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