England Earns Ninth Straight Win Over Physical Fijian Side

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

England scored four second-half tries to overcome a resilient Fijian team in their latest autumn international.

This win lengthens Steve Borthwick's side's undefeated streak to nine games and supports their win over Australia last Saturday.

England opened the scoring through hooker Cowan-Dickie before the visitors responded with tries by Tevita Ikanivere and Caleb Muntz.

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

Prop Genge and Ikanivere then traded scores to ignite an exciting final forty minutes.

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

These tries came either side of Fiji scrum-half Kuruvoli dropping the ball when attempting to score.

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

The English team 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 9 matches with the Fijian side – most recently winning a close contest in the quarter-finals of the last global tournament.

Their sole loss came two months prior the tournament in France and was a significant shift under Borthwick.

With Fiji on a five-match winning run – their equal best streak since the late nineties – the fixture was always expected to be competitive.

After slick phase play, back rower Chandler Cunningham-South made good ground before the hooker barged over for the opening score from short distance, with the Fijian's score off the back of a maul adding a swift reply.

Nicknamed the flying Fijians, that was evident in defense through monstrous opening period tackles in the center, with number fifteen Smith, used as a second playmaker, in particular targeted.

But it was the classic attacking Fijian flare that was the highlight in the opening half as passes out of the tackle cut England's defence open for the fly-half to score.

The winger expertly collected a kick across the field by Smith to take the hosts ahead after he had been dangerously taken out in the air by Selestino Ravutaumada, who was given a yellow card following a bunker review.

The English team pulled away from Australia last Saturday in the last twenty minutes through the strength of their bench that contained six British and Irish Lions.

A significantly altered starting XV from the victory over the Wallabies did score the next try as Genge went over following a powerful run by Ollie Lawrence, who was making his international comeback after suffering his Achilles tendon versus Italy in March.

Nonetheless, after a smart line-out move was finished by the Fijian, the coach unloaded several of his bench on the 54th minute – including Lions tourists Pollock and Curry.

With the match still in the balance, Fiji scrum-half Kuruvoli fumbled of the ball when stretching for the tryline to negate replacement George's try.

Flanker Ben Earl, who scored versus Australia, produced a spectacular game-saving stop to maintain a narrow lead between the teams.

It capped another outstanding overall performance by the flanker, who picked up consecutive player-of-the-match awards.

The substitute's speed to race on to a kick through showcased exactly why the English replacements is so impactful.

It is full of top players and quality, which has helped secure victories in the closing stages that were lost against the Wallabies and New Zealand last autumn.

Considering Scotland pushed the All Blacks hard, the English team will feel confident of sending a message this weekend.

Should they win, 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)