We will be different team against Fiji, says England's George

MARSEILLE, France : England's performance against Samoa was inexcusable but they will be all the better for it in Sunday's quarter-final against Fiji and the experience in the squad will be invaluable, hooker Jamie George said on Wednesday.

George played all 80 minutes of the 18-17 victory, secured via a late Danny Care try after an error-strewn performance in a match England went into knowing they were through as World Cup Pool D winners.

"Last weekend wasn't good enough, it was poor, but we have had a really good open and honest review," George told reporters.

"We were very clear that some of the stuff wasn't good enough, our energy levels were poor and that is inexcusable to be completely honest. Are we going to learn from it? Absolutely. You'll see a very different England team on Sunday."

George, a British and Irish Lion and veteran of many big games with Saracens, said the England team were embracing the occasion as they seek to improve on their run to the final four years ago. Fifteen players of the final squad from 2019 are in France.

"A lot of players have been there and done that on the big stages, some players have got experience of World Cup finals and latter stages of World Cups," he said.

"We have a great group of senior players who are very open and honest with the younger players who it could be intimidating for. We want to play on the biggest stages, the quarter-final of a World Cup is exactly where we want to be and next week we want to be in the semi-final," George added.

"We can't shy away from the fact that this is probably one of the biggest games we're ever going to play."

Fiji have improved their all-round game, particularly the scrum, but their lineout still looks vulnerable and is an area England