Eddie Jones’ rampant England side run over nine tries as they take apart Fiji
Jonathan Joseph, Elliot Daly, Temiana Harrison, Joe Launchbury, Alex Goode and Fiji born Semesa Rokoduguni all scored
SEMESA ROKODUGUNI delivered his first two tries for England with military precision.
The Army tank driver promised Eddie Jones a double before completing the perfect comeback mission against his homeland.
Still feeling the after-effects of his nightmare debut against the All Blacks two years ago, the Bath winger shook off any nerves by scoring two of NINE Red Rose tries.
Boss Jones revealed: “Roko promised two tries — and he got them.
“I thought he did really well. When you have had a hard personal experience like he had two years ago, he came back today and was really nervous before the game.
“The players supported him really well and he played well.”
Roko’s Bath team-mate Jonathan Joseph and Wasps lock Joe Launchbury also scored twice each in England’s record winning margin over Fiji.
Elliot Daly, Teimana Harrison and Alex Goode also scored their first England tries in the romp.
Rokoduguni, 29, looked emotional during the Fijian Cibi — their version of the Haka. He admitted: “It was an emotional day for me playing against Fiji, I didn’t need tears to show my emotion, everything was on the inside more than the outside.
“Playing against Fiji was a huge deal for me.
“Eddie has spoken to me a lot about being ready because the doors would open up and that my chance would come.
“When I scored my tries I was celebrating on the inside because the boys did all of the hard work — especially George Ford and Jonathan Joseph.
“We were happy with the win, but there was plenty of room for improvement and areas for us to work on both collectively and as a team with our attacking moves and with our scrums.
“If we can pick that up next week we will be in top form. We are not going to be perfect every time but a win is a win.”
England raced into a 31-0 lead after just 27 minutes, then hit the buffers before stretching their legs again for an 11th win in a row under Aussie Jones.
Joseph opened the scoring inside the first four minutes before the new kids on the block played their part — Daly crossing after eight minutes and Roko six minutes later, rapidly followed by Harrison and Launchbury.
Stunned Fiji fought back through Nemani Nadolo and Leone Nakarawa to make it 34-10 at the break as England’s defence was exposed.
Metuisela Talebula chalked up the third score in a row for Fiji before Saracens full-back Goode grabbed his first try on his 21st Test appearance.
Centre Owen Farrell also sailed past 500 Test points as he booted 11 — taking his tally to 508 in the chase for Jonny Wilkinson’s Red Rose record 1,179 — and fly-half George Ford chipped in with a conversion.
Jones promised stick-it-up-your-jumper rugby — or fish and chips as he called it — but England also showed glimpses of champagne stuff.
The Aussie said: “That was the best fish and chips in England.
“We played really good English rugby.
“Some of George Ford’s alignment on some of the phase ball was absolutely outstanding, the best I have seen for a long time.
“We are not going to play the perfect game — when you play the perfect game you can retire. We haven’t done that.
“We would like to be better in defence. We are working hard at it and it will come — it will come next week against Argentina.”
Jones is ready to rip up his coaching team for next summer after giving the OK for Steve Borthwick to join the Lions in New Zealand.
England play the All Blacks at home in 2018 and Jones hopes Borthwick will pick up useful information on how to bring them down.
Jones said: “I am happy for all of my coaching team to be involved — except me.
“If they are offered a job I will encourage them to take it and work out how to beat New Zealand — because that is one of our aims.
“They can help us and the Lions.
“Ultimately if they are No 1 when we play them they will be the side to beat.”