The English Team Earns Ninth Straight Win Over Tough Fiji

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

The English squad scored 4 second-half tries to beat a physical Fijian team in their latest fall test match.

The victory lengthens Steve Borthwick's side's undefeated streak to nine games and follows up their triumph over the Wallabies the previous weekend.

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

Number ten Muntz failed to convert either try but slotted a penalty goal to take the visitors further ahead before Immanuel Feyi-Waboso scored.

Prop Genge and Ikanivere then exchanged tries to begin an entertaining final forty minutes.

Replacements Jamie George and Arundell, who demonstrated his scintillating pace, finished off tries to take the English side clear.

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

Skipper Maro Itoje, who also came off the bench, grabbed the final try.

The English team now play the All Blacks next Saturday in their biggest challenge on paper this autumn.

Before this encounter, England had won eight of their nine matches with Fiji – most recently taking a close contest in the last eight of the last global tournament.

That one defeat came just weeks before the competition in France and was a significant shift under Borthwick.

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

Following smooth attacking phases, back rower Cunningham-South gained valuable meters before Cowan-Dickie forced his way over for the opening score 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 evident in defence through huge first-half tackles in the center, with number fifteen Marcus Smith, used as a additional playmaker, in particular targeted.

But it was the vintage Fijian attacking flair that was the standout moment in the opening half as offloads sliced through the English defense for Muntz to touch down.

Feyi-Waboso sharply finished a cross-field kick by Smith to take the hosts ahead after he had been dangerously taken out in the air by Selestino Ravutaumada, who was awarded a sin-binning following a bunker review.

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

A significantly altered starting XV from the win over the Australians did grab the next try as Genge crossed following a powerful run by Ollie Lawrence, who was making his international comeback after suffering his Achilles against Italy in spring.

Nonetheless, after a smart set piece was completed by the Fijian, Borthwick introduced several of his bench on the 54-minute mark – featuring Lions players Pollock and Curry.

With the game still in the balance, Fijian number nine Kuruvoli lost control of the ball when reaching for the tryline to negate replacement the hooker's score.

Flanker Ben Earl, a try-scorer against the Wallabies, produced a stunning try-saving tackle to maintain a narrow lead between the sides.

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

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

It is full of top players and talent, which has helped secure wins in the final quarter that were lost against Australia and the All Blacks the previous fall.

Given Scotland pushed the All Blacks hard, the English team will fancy their chances of sending a message this weekend.

Should they win, 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)