The English Team Secures Ninth Straight Win Over Physical Fiji

Quilter Nations Series

England (14) 38

Tries: Cowan-Dickie, Feyi-Waboso, Genge, George, Arundell, Itoje Cons: F Smith 5

Fiji (13) 18

Tries: Ikanivere 2, Muntz Pen: Muntz

The English squad racked up 4 second-half tries to beat a physical Fijian team in their second autumn international.

This win extends Steve Borthwick's side's undefeated streak to nine matches and supports their triumph over Australia the previous weekend.

The home side opened the scoring through hooker Cowan-Dickie before the visitors responded with tries by Ikanivere and Caleb Muntz.

Fly-half the Fijian playmaker missed both conversions but slotted a penalty to take the Fijians further ahead before Immanuel Feyi-Waboso scored.

Ellis Genge and the Fijian hooker then exchanged tries to ignite an exciting second half.

Replacements Jamie George and Henry Arundell, who showed his scintillating pace, touched down to take the English side clear.

Those scores came around Fijian halfback Kuruvoli fumbling the ball when attempting to score.

England captain Itoje, who also entered as a substitute, scored the last touchdown.

Borthwick's side now meet the All Blacks this coming weekend in their biggest challenge on paper this autumn.

Prior to this match, the English team had won eight of their nine matches with the Fijian side – most lately taking a close contest in the last eight of the last global tournament.

That one defeat came two months prior the competition in France and was a major turning point under the head coach.

With the Pacific Islanders on a five-match winning run – their joint longest streak since 1999 – the game was always expected to be hard-fought.

Following smooth attacking phases, number eight Cunningham-South made good ground before the hooker barged over for the first try from short distance, with the Fijian's score off the back of a driving maul adding a swift reply.

Known as the flying Fijians, that was evident in defence through powerful first-half tackles in the center, with number fifteen Marcus Smith, deployed as a additional playmaker, in particular targeted.

But it was the classic attacking Fijian flare that was the standout moment in the first forty as passes out of the tackle cut England's defence open for the fly-half to touch down.

Feyi-Waboso expertly collected a cross-field kick by Fin Smith to take England into the lead after he had been illegally challenged in the air by Ravutaumada, who was given a sin-binning following a bunker review.

England broke clear from the Wallabies the previous weekend in the last twenty minutes through the impact of their bench that included multiple Lions tourists.

A significantly altered starting XV from the victory over the Australians did score the following touchdown as the prop crossed following a strong carry by Ollie Lawrence, who was making his international comeback after suffering his Achilles tendon against Italy in spring.

Nonetheless, after a clever set piece was completed by the Fijian, the coach unloaded several of his substitutes on the 54th minute – including Lions tourists Henry Pollock and Tom Curry.

With the match still up for grabs, Fiji scrum-half the halfback lost control of the ball when stretching for the tryline to cancel out substitute the hooker's score.

Breakdown specialist Earl, a try-scorer against Australia, produced a spectacular game-saving stop to maintain a narrow lead between the sides.

It capped another all-round impressive display by the flanker, who picked up consecutive player-of-the-match awards.

Arundell's pace to race on to a kick through showcased exactly why the English replacements is so impactful.

It is packed with top players and talent, which has helped secure wins in the closing stages that were lost versus Australia and the All Blacks last autumn.

Considering Scotland ran New Zealand close, the English team will feel confident of sending a message next week.

Should they win, the bench will probably again be crucial.

England: M Smith; Freeman, Lawrence, Dingwall, Feyi-Waboso; F Smith, Mitchell; Genge, Cowan-Dickie, Heyes, Coles, Chessum, Pepper, Earl, Cunningham-South

Replacements: George, Baxter, Opoku-Fordjour, Itoje, T Curry, Pollock, Spencer, Arundell

Fiji: Rayasi; Ravutaumada, Ravouvou, Tuisova, Wainiqolo; Muntz, Kuruvoli; Mawi, Ikanivere, Doge, Nasilasila, Mayanavanua, Sowakula, Canakaivata, Mata

Replacements: Togiatama, Hetet, Tawake, Vocevoce, Murray, Wye, Armstrong-Ravula, Maqala

Sin-bin: Ravutaumada

Referee: Paul Williams (New Zealand)

Assistant referee: Luc Ramos (France) and Katsuki Furuse (Japan)

Television match official: Mike Adamson (Scotland)