England Claims 9th Consecutive Victory Over Tough 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

The English squad notched four tries after halftime to overcome a tough Fijian team in their second fall test match.

The victory continues Steve Borthwick's side's winning run to nine games and supports their win over the Wallabies last Saturday.

England got on the board first through Luke Cowan-Dickie before Fiji answered back with scores by Ikanivere and Muntz.

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

Ellis Genge and the Fijian hooker then traded scores to spark an exciting final forty minutes.

Substitutes George and Arundell, who demonstrated his blistering speed, finished off tries to take the English side into a comfortable lead.

These tries came either side of Fijian halfback Kuruvoli fumbling the ball when going for the tryline.

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

Borthwick's side now face New Zealand next Saturday in their toughest test theoretically this autumn.

Prior to this meeting, the English team had claimed victory in eight of their nine games with the Fijian side – most lately winning a close contest in the last eight of the 2023 World Cup.

Their sole loss came just weeks before the competition in France and was a significant shift under the head coach.

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

Following slick phase play, back rower Chandler Cunningham-South gained valuable meters before the hooker forced his way over for the first try from close range, with Ikanivere's try off the back of a driving maul adding a swift reply.

Known as the Flying Fijians, that was clear in defence through powerful first-half tackles in the center, with full-back Marcus Smith, deployed as a additional playmaker, in especial targeted.

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

Feyi-Waboso expertly collected a cross-field kick by Smith to take England ahead after he had been illegally challenged in the air by Selestino Ravutaumada, who was given a yellow card following a bunker review.

England pulled away from the Wallabies the previous weekend in the final quarter through the impact of their replacements that included six Lions tourists.

A significantly altered starting XV from the win over the Australians did grab the following touchdown as Genge went over following a powerful run by Lawrence, who was making his international comeback after tearing his Achilles tendon against Italy in March.

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

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

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

It capped another all-round impressive performance by the flanker, who received consecutive man of the match honors.

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

It is full of top players and quality, which has aided in wins in the final quarter that were lost versus the Wallabies and New Zealand the previous fall.

Given the Scottish side ran New Zealand close, Borthwick's side will fancy their chances of sending a message this weekend.

If successful, the bench will likely 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)