England Earns Ninth Straight Win 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 four second-half tries to defeat a physical Fijian team in their second fall test match.

This win continues the English team's winning run to nine matches and follows up their win over Australia last Saturday.

England got on the board first through Luke Cowan-Dickie before the visitors responded with scores by Ikanivere and Muntz.

Fly-half Muntz failed to convert either try but nailed a penalty goal to take the Fijians further clear before Immanuel Feyi-Waboso scored.

Prop Genge and Ikanivere then exchanged tries to spark an thrilling second half.

Replacements George and Henry 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 attempting to score.

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

The English team now face New Zealand next Saturday in their biggest challenge theoretically this autumn.

Before this meeting, England had claimed victory in 8 of their 9 matches with the Fijian side – most recently winning a close contest in the quarter-finals of the 2023 World Cup.

That one defeat came just weeks before the tournament in Europe and was a significant shift under Borthwick.

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

After smooth attacking phases, number eight Cunningham-South made good ground before Cowan-Dickie barged over for the first try from short distance, with the Fijian's score off the back of a maul providing a swift reply.

Known as the Flying Fijians, that was apparent in defence through monstrous opening period midfield hits, with number fifteen Smith, deployed as a second playmaker, in especial targeted.

But it was the vintage attacking Fijian flare that was the highlight in the opening half as passes out of the tackle cut England's defence open for Muntz to score.

Feyi-Waboso sharply finished a cross-field kick by Smith to take England into the lead after he had been dangerously taken out in the air by Selestino Ravutaumada, who was awarded a yellow card following a bunker review.

England pulled away from the Wallabies the previous weekend in the last twenty minutes through the power of their replacements that included six Lions tourists.

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

However, after a clever set piece was finished by Ikanivere, Borthwick introduced several of his substitutes on the 54-minute mark – including Lions players Pollock and Tom Curry.

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

Breakdown specialist Ben Earl, who scored against Australia, produced a stunning try-saving tackle to maintain a narrow lead between the sides.

It capped another all-round impressive display by Earl, who received consecutive 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 full of stars and talent, which has helped secure victories in the final quarter that were lost versus the Wallabies and New Zealand the previous fall.

Given Scotland ran New Zealand close, the English team will feel confident of sending a message this weekend.

If successful, 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)