  The main aim of this paper is to prove $R$-triviality for simple, simply
connected algebraic groups with Tits index $E_{8,2}^{78}$ or $E_{7,1}^{78}$,
defined over a field $k$ of arbitrary characteristic. Let $G$ be such a group.
We prove that there exists a quadratic extension $K$ of $k$ such that $G$ is
$R$-trivial over $K$, i.e., for any extension $F$ of $K$, $G(F)/R=\{1\}$, where
$G(F)/R$ denotes the group of $R$-equivalence classes in $G(F)$, in the sense
of Manin (see \cite{M}). As a consequence, it follows that the variety $G$ is
retract $K$-rational and that the Kneser-Tits conjecture holds for these groups
over $K$. Moreover, $G(L)$ is projectively simple as an abstract group for any
field extension $L$ of $K$. In their monograph (\cite{TW}) J. Tits and Richard
Weiss conjectured that for an Albert division algebra $A$ over a field $k$, its
structure group $Str(A)$ is generated by scalar homotheties and its
$U$-operators. This is known to be equivalent to the Kneser-Tits conjecture for
groups with Tits index $E_{8,2}^{78}$. We settle this conjecture for Albert
division algebras which are first constructions, in affirmative. These results
are obtained as corollaries to the main result, which shows that if $A$ is an
Albert division algebra which is a first construction and $\Gamma$ its
structure group, i.e., the algebraic group of the norm similarities of $A$,
then $\Gamma(F)/R=\{1\}$ for any field extension $F$ of $k$, i.e., $\Gamma$ is
$R$-trivial.
