England Claims 9th Straight Victory Against Tough Fijian Side

Autumn International 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

England notched 4 second-half tries to defeat a physical Fiji side in their latest fall test match.

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

England opened the scoring through Luke Cowan-Dickie before the visitors answered back with tries by Ikanivere and Muntz.

Fly-half Muntz failed to convert either try but nailed a penalty goal to take the Fijians further clear before Immanuel Feyi-Waboso scored.

Ellis Genge and the Fijian hooker then traded scores to spark an entertaining final forty minutes.

Replacements George and Henry Arundell, who showed his scintillating pace, finished off tries to take the English side into a comfortable lead.

Those scores came either side of Fiji scrum-half Simi Kuruvoli spilling the ball when going for the tryline.

Skipper Itoje, who also came off the bench, secured the last touchdown.

Borthwick's side now meet the All Blacks next Saturday in their biggest challenge theoretically this autumn.

Prior to this meeting, the English team had claimed victory in eight of their nine matches with Fiji – most recently winning 30-24 in the quarter-finals of the last global tournament.

That one defeat came just weeks before the competition in Europe and was a major turning point under the head coach.

With Fiji on a five-match winning run – their joint longest streak since 1999 – the game was always expected to be competitive.

After slick phase play, back rower Cunningham-South made good ground before the hooker barged over for the opening score from close range, with Ikanivere's try off the back of a driving maul providing a quick response.

Nicknamed the Flying Fijians, that was clear in defense through monstrous opening period tackles in the center, with full-back Smith, used as a second playmaker, in particular targeted.

But it was the vintage Fijian attacking flair that was the highlight in the first forty as offloads cut England's defence open for Muntz to touch down.

Feyi-Waboso expertly collected a cross-field kick by Smith to take England into the lead after he had been dangerously taken out in the air by Selestino Ravutaumada, who was awarded a yellow card following a video review.

The English team broke clear from the Wallabies last Saturday in the last twenty minutes through the impact of their replacements that included multiple Lions tourists.

A significantly altered starting XV from the victory over the Australians did score the following touchdown as Genge went over following a powerful run by Ollie Lawrence, who was returning to the national side after tearing his Achilles versus the Italians in spring.

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

With the game still in the balance, Fiji scrum-half Kuruvoli lost control of the ball when reaching for the goal line to negate substitute George's try.

Flanker Earl, a try-scorer against the Wallabies, produced a spectacular try-saving tackle to maintain a narrow lead between the teams.

It topped off another all-round impressive performance by the flanker, who received consecutive man of the match honors.

Arundell's pace to race on to a grubber kick showcased exactly why England's bench is so impactful.

It is packed with top players and talent, which has helped secure wins in the closing stages that were lost versus the Wallabies and New Zealand the previous fall.

Given Scotland pushed the All Blacks hard, Borthwick's side will fancy their chances of making a big statement this weekend.

If successful, the substitutes 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)