The English Team Secures 9th Consecutive Win Over Tough 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

England scored 4 second-half tries to overcome a tough Fijian team in their second autumn international.

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

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

Fly-half the Fijian playmaker missed both conversions but nailed a penalty to take the visitors further ahead before Immanuel Feyi-Waboso scored.

Ellis Genge and Ikanivere then traded scores to ignite an exciting second half.

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

These tries came around Fiji scrum-half Simi Kuruvoli fumbling the ball when attempting to score.

Skipper Itoje, who also entered as a substitute, secured the final try.

The English team now meet New Zealand next Saturday in their biggest challenge on paper this fall.

Before this match, England had claimed victory in eight of their 9 games with Fiji – most recently winning 30-24 in the last eight of the 2023 World Cup.

Their sole loss came two months prior the competition in Europe and was a significant shift under Borthwick.

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

Following slick phase play, back rower Chandler Cunningham-South gained valuable meters 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 adding a quick response.

Nicknamed the Flying Fijians, that was evident in defence through huge first-half midfield hits, with full-back Marcus Smith, deployed as a additional playmaker, in especial picked out.

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

Feyi-Waboso expertly collected a kick across the field by Fin Smith to take the hosts ahead after he had been illegally challenged in the air by Ravutaumada, who was awarded a sin-binning following a video review.

The English team broke clear from the Wallabies the previous weekend in the final quarter through the strength of their replacements that included six British and Irish Lions.

A significantly altered starting XV from the victory over the Wallabies did grab the next try as the prop went over following a powerful run by Lawrence, who was making his international comeback after tearing his Achilles tendon against the Italians in March.

However, after a smart line-out move was finished by Ikanivere, the coach unloaded five of his substitutes on the 54-minute mark – including Lions tourists Pollock and Curry.

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

Breakdown specialist Earl, who scored versus Australia, produced a spectacular try-saving tackle to maintain a narrow lead between the teams.

It topped off another outstanding overall display by the flanker, who received back-to-back player-of-the-match awards.

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

It is full of stars and talent, which has aided in wins in the final quarter that were squandered versus the Wallabies and New Zealand the previous fall.

Considering Scotland pushed the All Blacks hard, Borthwick's side will fancy their chances of sending a message this weekend.

Should they win, the bench 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)