England narrowly escaped with an 18-17 victory over an impressive Samoa team, with a late Danny Care try saving the day in a Rugby World Cup clash.
Coach Steve Borthwick believes this close encounter is the ideal preparation for the World Cup quarter-finals, while Wales claimed the top spot in Pool C with a 43-19 victory against Georgia.
England coach Steve Borthwick acknowledged their outstanding performance, describing it as if it were their World Cup final.
The final score of 18-17 in favour of England was a nail-biter, with a late try by Danny Care securing the win. Borthwick emphasized the importance of this tough test ahead of the impending knockout stage, acknowledging the errors and scrappiness displayed by England throughout the match.
England will learn their quarter-final opponent after Fiji's clash with Georgia, but Borthwick emphasized their focus on preparing for all eventualities. He praised the resilience of his team, who have overcome criticism to find ways to win when it matters most.
Flyhalf Owen Farrell broke Jonny Wilkinson's record for the most points scored by an England player in tests, accumulating a total of 1,187 points. Farrell downplayed the achievement, expressing gratitude for the honor and the support of his teammates.
Wales secured the top spot in Pool C with a 43-19 victory over Georgia, ensuring a place in the quarter-finals. Louis Rees-Zammit's second-half hat-trick of tries and Sam Costelow's accurate kicking played a crucial role in sealing the win. Despite not being at their best, coach Warren Gatland described it as a job well done.
However, Wales suffered a setback as Taulupe Faletau was ruled out for the remainder of the campaign due to a broken arm. Fly-half Gareth Anscombe also left the match early with a groin injury, with his condition to be assessed over the next few days.
Georgia displayed flair and courage, scoring three tries through Merab Sharikadze, Vano Karkadze, and Davit Niniashvili. Coach Levan Maisashvili expressed disappointment with their campaign, falling short of their objectives.
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