The English Team Secures 9th Straight Win Over Physical 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

England scored four second-half tries to beat a tough Fijian team in their second autumn international.

The victory lengthens the English team's undefeated streak to nine games and supports their triumph over Australia the previous weekend.

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

Fly-half the Fijian playmaker failed to convert either try but kicked a penalty goal to take the visitors further clear before Immanuel Feyi-Waboso scored.

Ellis Genge and Ikanivere then exchanged tries to begin an exciting second half.

Replacements George and Arundell, who demonstrated his scintillating pace, finished off tries to take the hosts into a comfortable lead.

Those scores came either side of Fijian halfback Kuruvoli spilling the ball when going for the tryline.

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

Borthwick's side now play New Zealand next Saturday in their toughest test on paper this autumn.

Before this encounter, the English team had claimed victory in eight of their 9 games with the Fijian side – most recently winning a close contest in the quarter-finals of the 2023 World Cup.

That one defeat came two months prior the tournament 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 game was always likely to be hard-fought.

After slick phase play, number eight Chandler Cunningham-South made good ground before the hooker forced his way over for the opening score from short distance, with Ikanivere's try off the back of a driving maul providing a swift reply.

Nicknamed the flying Fijians, that was evident in defense through monstrous opening period midfield hits, with full-back Smith, used as a additional playmaker, in especial picked out.

But it was the classic Fijian attacking flair that was the highlight in the opening half as passes out of the tackle sliced through the English defense for the fly-half to score.

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

The English team broke clear from the Wallabies the previous weekend in the final quarter through the power of their bench that included six Lions tourists.

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

However, after a smart line-out move was finished by Ikanivere, the coach unloaded several of his bench on the 54th minute – including Lions players Henry Pollock and Tom Curry.

With the game still in the balance, Fijian number nine the halfback lost control of the ball when reaching for the tryline to cancel out substitute George's try.

Breakdown specialist Earl, a try-scorer against Australia, produced a stunning try-saving tackle to maintain a narrow lead between the teams.

It capped another all-round impressive performance by Earl, who received back-to-back man of the match honors.

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

It is full of top players and quality, which has helped secure wins in the closing stages that were squandered versus Australia and the All Blacks last autumn.

Given the Scottish side pushed the All Blacks hard, the English team will feel confident of making a big statement next week.

If successful, the substitutes will likely 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)