England Earns 9th Straight Victory Against 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 racked up 4 second-half tries to beat a resilient Fijian team in their latest autumn international.

This win extends Steve Borthwick's side's undefeated streak to nine games and backs up their win over the Wallabies last Saturday.

England got on the board first through hooker Cowan-Dickie before the visitors answered back with tries by Tevita Ikanivere and Caleb Muntz.

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

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

Replacements George and Henry Arundell, who displayed his scintillating pace, touched down to take the hosts clear.

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

England captain Itoje, who also came off the bench, scored the final try.

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

Before this meeting, the English team had won 8 of their 9 matches with Fiji – most lately winning 30-24 in the last eight of the last global tournament.

That one defeat came just weeks before the competition in France and was a major turning point under Borthwick.

With the Pacific Islanders on a five-game streak – their joint longest streak since the late nineties – the game was always expected to be tight.

After slick phase play, back rower Cunningham-South gained valuable meters before Cowan-Dickie barged over for the first try from short distance, with Ikanivere's try off the back of a maul providing a quick response.

Nicknamed the Flying Fijians, that was apparent in defence through monstrous opening period midfield hits, with number fifteen Smith, deployed as a additional playmaker, in particular picked out.

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 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 Ravutaumada, who was awarded a sin-binning following a video review.

England pulled away from the Wallabies last Saturday in the last twenty minutes through the power of their bench that contained multiple Lions tourists.

A significantly altered starting XV from the win over the Australians did grab the next try as Genge went over following a powerful run by Lawrence, who was returning to the national side after tearing his Achilles against the Italians in March.

However, after a clever line-out move was finished by Ikanivere, Borthwick unloaded several of his substitutes on the 54th minute – featuring Lions players Pollock and Tom Curry.

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

Breakdown specialist Ben Earl, a try-scorer versus Australia, produced a spectacular try-saving tackle to maintain breathing room between the sides.

It topped off another outstanding overall performance by Earl, who picked up back-to-back man of the match honors.

The substitute's speed to chase down a kick through demonstrated exactly why England's bench is so influential.

It is packed with top players and quality, which has aided in victories in the final quarter that were squandered against the Wallabies and New Zealand the previous fall.

Given Scotland ran New Zealand close, Borthwick's side will fancy their chances of sending a message 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)