England Claims 9th Straight Victory Against Physical Fijian Side

Quilter Nations 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 tries after halftime to defeat a physical Fiji side in their second autumn international.

This win extends the English team's winning run to nine matches and follows up their win over Australia the previous weekend.

England opened the scoring through Luke Cowan-Dickie before Fiji responded with scores by Tevita Ikanivere and Caleb Muntz.

Number ten Muntz missed both conversions but slotted a penalty goal to take the visitors further ahead before Feyi-Waboso scored.

Ellis Genge and the Fijian hooker then traded scores to begin an entertaining second half.

Substitutes George and Henry Arundell, who showed his blistering speed, touched down to take the hosts into a comfortable lead.

These tries came either side of Fiji scrum-half Kuruvoli fumbling the ball when attempting to score.

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

The English team now meet New Zealand next Saturday in their toughest test on paper this autumn.

Before this encounter, the English team had claimed victory in 8 of their nine 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 Europe and was a significant shift under Borthwick.

With Fiji on a five-game streak – their equal best run since 1999 – the game was always likely to be tight.

After smooth attacking phases, number eight Cunningham-South made good ground 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 apparent in defense through monstrous first-half midfield hits, with number fifteen Marcus Smith, used as a second playmaker, in especial picked out.

But it was the classic attacking Fijian flare that was the standout moment in the first forty as offloads cut England's defence open for Muntz to touch down.

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

England pulled away from the Wallabies last Saturday in the last twenty minutes through the strength of their bench that contained multiple British and Irish Lions.

A significantly altered starting lineup from the victory over the Australians did score the following touchdown as the prop crossed following a powerful run by Ollie Lawrence, who was making his international comeback after tearing his Achilles against the Italians in March.

Nonetheless, after a smart line-out move was finished by the Fijian, the coach introduced five of his bench on the 54th minute – including Lions tourists Henry 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 negate substitute George's try.

Breakdown specialist Earl, a try-scorer against the Wallabies, produced a spectacular try-saving tackle to keep breathing room between the teams.

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

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

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

Considering the Scottish side ran New Zealand close, Borthwick's side will feel confident of making a big statement next week.

Should they win, the substitutes 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)