The English Team Secures Ninth Straight Win Against Tough 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 tries after halftime to overcome a resilient Fijian team in their latest autumn international.

The victory extends Steve Borthwick's side's undefeated streak to nine matches and supports their triumph over the Wallabies last Saturday.

England opened the scoring through hooker Cowan-Dickie before Fiji answered back with scores by Tevita Ikanivere and Caleb Muntz.

Number ten Muntz missed both conversions but slotted a penalty goal to take the Fijians further ahead before Immanuel Feyi-Waboso scored.

Prop Genge and the Fijian hooker then traded scores to ignite an exciting final forty minutes.

Substitutes Jamie George and Henry Arundell, who showed his scintillating pace, touched down to take the hosts into a comfortable lead.

These tries came either side of Fijian halfback Simi Kuruvoli spilling the ball when attempting to score.

Skipper Maro Itoje, who also entered as a substitute, secured the final try.

Borthwick's side now play New Zealand this coming weekend in their toughest test theoretically this autumn.

Before this encounter, the English team had won 8 of their 9 matches with the Fijian side – most recently taking a close contest in the last eight of the last global tournament.

Their sole loss came just weeks before the competition in France and was a major turning point under the head coach.

With Fiji on a five-match winning run – their equal best run since the late nineties – the game was always likely to be tight.

After slick phase play, back rower Chandler 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 providing a swift reply.

Known as the flying Fijians, that was clear in defense through powerful opening period midfield hits, with full-back Smith, used as a second playmaker, in especial targeted.

But it was the vintage Fijian attacking flair that was the highlight in the first forty as passes out of the tackle sliced through the English defense for Muntz to touch down.

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

The English team broke clear from Australia last Saturday in the final quarter through the power of their bench that included six British and Irish Lions.

A much-changed starting lineup from the victory over the Wallabies 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 against the Italians in March.

Nonetheless, after a clever line-out move was completed by Ikanivere, the coach introduced five of his substitutes on the 54-minute mark – including Lions players Henry Pollock and Curry.

With the match still in the balance, Fijian number nine the halfback lost control of the ball when reaching for the tryline to cancel out replacement the hooker's score.

Breakdown specialist Ben Earl, a try-scorer versus the Wallabies, produced a spectacular game-saving stop to keep breathing room between the sides.

It capped another all-round impressive display by the flanker, who picked up back-to-back man of the match honors.

The substitute's speed to chase down a grubber kick showcased exactly why England's bench is so impactful.

It is packed with top players and talent, which has aided in wins in the closing stages that were squandered versus the Wallabies and New Zealand last autumn.

Given Scotland pushed the All Blacks hard, the English team will feel confident of making a big statement this weekend.

If successful, the bench will probably play another key factor.

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)