Quilter Nations Series: England v Fiji Venue: Allianz Stadium, Twickenham Date: Saturday, 8 November Kick-off: 17:40 GMT Coverage: Live on Radio 5 Sports Extra; live text on the BBC Sport website and app
England prop and captain Ellis Genge says the confrontational, physical side of rugby is central to its appeal and should be embraced rather than suppressed. Speaking ahead of Saturday's match with Fiji, Genge — who will captain the side with Maro Itoje on the bench — defended the sport's abrasive nature and suggested that fans come partly for that intensity because 'society's gone quite soft'.
Genge, who was involved in an injury-time skirmish in last weekend's win over Australia, downplayed the incident as 'a bit of argy-bargy' and said he enjoys the animosity and aggression that define rugby. His view mirrors a broader tone in English rugby this season: the Premiership has explicitly highlighted big hits and physicality as part of its rebrand.
Off the field, Genge admits the demands of international rugby take a toll on family life. A father of three who spent six weeks with the British and Irish Lions over the summer, he said returning to England camp for the autumn tests ha
