England narrowly escaped with an 18-17 victory over Samoa, thanks to a late try by Danny Care in a thrilling Rugby World Cup encounter. Meanwhile, Wales secured their place at the top of Pool C with a 43-19 win against Georgia, although it came at a cost with injuries to key players.
England found themselves in a tense battle against an impressive Samoa side. Coach Steve Borthwick credited Samoa’s brilliant performance, likening it to their own World Cup final.
Despite a below-par showing and numerous errors, England managed to pull through with a late try by Danny Care.
Borthwick emphasised the importance of this tough test ahead of the quarter-finals.
England’s flyhalf, Owen Farrell, played a crucial role by kicking three penalties, breaking Jonny Wilkinson’s record for the most points scored by an England player in tests.
Farrell downplayed the achievement, expressing gratitude for the honor.
Wales secured the top spot in Pool C with a 43-19 victory over Georgia, earning a spot in the quarter-finals.
Louis Rees-Zammit’s second-half hat-trick of tries and Sam Costelow’s precise kicking proved pivotal in sealing the win, although Wales coach Warren Gatland admitted it was not their finest performance.
Wales suffered a blow as No 8 Taulupe Faletau was ruled out for the rest of the tournament due to a broken arm. Additionally, fly-half Gareth Anscombe sustained a groin injury in the pre-match warm-up, raising concerns about his availability.
Georgia displayed skill in the match, scoring tries through Merab Sharikadze, Vano Karkadze, and Davit Niniashvili. Coach Levan Maisashvili expressed disappointment with their campaign, failing to achieve their objectives.