The English Team Claims Ninth Straight Win Against Tough Fiji

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 scored four second-half tries to defeat a physical Fiji side in their latest autumn international.

This win extends the English team's undefeated streak to nine matches and backs up their win over Australia the previous weekend.

England opened the scoring through hooker Cowan-Dickie before the visitors responded with scores by Ikanivere and Muntz.

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

Prop Genge and Ikanivere then traded scores to begin an entertaining second half.

Replacements Jamie George and Arundell, who showed his blistering speed, finished off tries to take the hosts into a comfortable lead.

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

England captain Maro Itoje, who also entered as a substitute, grabbed the final try.

Borthwick's side now face New Zealand this coming weekend in their biggest challenge on paper this autumn.

Prior to this encounter, England had won 8 of their nine matches with Fiji – most lately taking a close contest in the last eight of the 2023 World Cup.

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-match winning run – their joint longest run since 1999 – the fixture was always likely to be tight.

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

Known as the flying Fijians, that was clear in defense through huge opening period tackles in the center, with full-back Smith, deployed as a additional playmaker, in especial picked out.

But it was the vintage Fijian attacking flair that was the standout moment in the first forty as offloads sliced through the English defense for Muntz to score.

The winger 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 given a sin-binning following a video review.

England broke clear from Australia last Saturday in the final quarter through the strength of their bench that included multiple British and Irish Lions.

A much-changed starting XV from the win over the Australians did grab the following touchdown as the prop went over following a strong carry by Lawrence, who was returning to the national side after tearing his Achilles tendon against Italy in spring.

Nonetheless, after a clever set piece was completed by the Fijian, Borthwick unloaded five of his bench on the 54-minute mark – including Lions players Henry Pollock and Tom Curry.

With the match still in the balance, Fijian number nine the halfback lost control of the ball when stretching for the tryline to negate substitute George's try.

Breakdown specialist Ben Earl, a try-scorer versus the Wallabies, produced a spectacular try-saving tackle to keep a narrow lead between the sides.

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

Arundell's pace to race on to a kick through showcased exactly why the English replacements is so influential.

It is packed with top players and talent, which has aided in victories in the closing stages that were squandered versus the Wallabies and New Zealand the previous fall.

Given the Scottish side pushed the All Blacks hard, Borthwick's side will fancy their chances of sending a message next week.

If successful, the bench will probably 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)