The English Team Secures 9th Straight Win Over Physical 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 scored four tries after halftime to overcome a resilient Fijian team in their second autumn international.

This win continues the English team's undefeated streak to nine matches and follows up their win over the Wallabies the previous weekend.

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

Fly-half Muntz missed both conversions but nailed a penalty to take the Fijians further ahead before Feyi-Waboso crossed.

Prop Genge and Ikanivere then traded scores to begin an thrilling second half.

Substitutes George and Arundell, who displayed his scintillating pace, touched down to take the English side into a comfortable lead.

These tries came around Fijian halfback Simi Kuruvoli spilling the ball when attempting to score.

Skipper Maro Itoje, who also entered as a substitute, scored the last touchdown.

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

Prior to this encounter, the English team had won 8 of their nine games with Fiji – most lately taking a close contest in the quarter-finals of the 2023 World Cup.

That one defeat came two months prior the tournament in Europe and was a significant shift under the head coach.

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

After smooth attacking phases, back rower Cunningham-South gained valuable meters before Cowan-Dickie forced his way over for the first try from short distance, with Ikanivere's try off the back of a maul adding a swift reply.

Known as the flying Fijians, that was apparent in defence through powerful first-half midfield hits, with full-back Marcus Smith, deployed as a additional playmaker, in particular picked out.

But it was the vintage attacking Fijian flare that was the standout moment in the first forty as offloads cut England's defence open for the fly-half to score.

The winger sharply finished a cross-field kick by Smith to take the hosts into the lead after he had been illegally challenged in the air by Ravutaumada, who was awarded a sin-binning following a video review.

The English team pulled away from Australia the previous weekend in the last twenty minutes through the impact of their bench that included multiple British and Irish Lions.

A much-changed starting XV from the victory over the Wallabies did score the next try as the prop went over following a strong carry by Ollie Lawrence, who was returning to the national side after suffering his Achilles tendon against Italy in spring.

Nonetheless, after a clever line-out move was completed by the Fijian, Borthwick unloaded five of his substitutes on the 54-minute mark – featuring Lions players Pollock and Curry.

With the match still in the balance, Fiji scrum-half Kuruvoli fumbled of the ball when stretching for the goal line to cancel out replacement the hooker's score.

Flanker Ben Earl, a try-scorer against the Wallabies, produced a stunning game-saving stop to keep breathing room between the teams.

It topped off another outstanding overall display by the flanker, who picked up consecutive man of the match honors.

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

It is packed with top players and talent, which has helped secure victories in the closing stages that were squandered against the Wallabies and New Zealand last autumn.

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

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)