The English Team Secures Ninth Straight Victory 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

The English squad scored 4 second-half tries to defeat a resilient Fiji side in their second autumn international.

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

England opened the scoring through Luke Cowan-Dickie before Fiji answered back with scores by Ikanivere and Muntz.

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

Prop Genge and Ikanivere then exchanged tries to begin an entertaining second half.

Replacements Jamie George and Arundell, who demonstrated his scintillating pace, touched down to take the hosts clear.

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

England captain Maro Itoje, who also came off the bench, scored the final try.

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

Before this match, England had claimed victory in eight of their 9 matches with Fiji – most recently winning a close contest in the quarter-finals of the last global tournament.

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 streak since the late nineties – the game was always likely to be competitive.

Following smooth attacking phases, back rower Cunningham-South gained valuable meters before Cowan-Dickie barged over for the first try from close range, with Ikanivere's try off the back of a maul adding a swift reply.

Nicknamed the flying Fijians, that was evident in defence through monstrous first-half tackles in the center, with number fifteen Smith, deployed as a second playmaker, in especial picked out.

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

Feyi-Waboso sharply finished a kick across the field by Fin Smith to take the hosts into the lead after he had been dangerously taken out in the air by Ravutaumada, who was awarded a sin-binning following a video review.

The English team pulled away from the Wallabies last Saturday in the last twenty minutes through the strength of their bench that included multiple Lions tourists.

A significantly altered starting XV from the victory over the Wallabies did score the next try as Genge crossed following a powerful run by Ollie Lawrence, who was making his international comeback after tearing his Achilles versus the Italians in March.

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

With the game still up for grabs, Fiji scrum-half Kuruvoli lost control of the ball when stretching for the tryline to cancel out replacement George's try.

Breakdown specialist Ben Earl, who scored versus the Wallabies, produced a stunning try-saving tackle to maintain breathing room between the teams.

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

The substitute's speed to race on to a grubber kick showcased exactly why the English replacements is so influential.

It is packed with top players and talent, which has helped secure wins in the final quarter that were squandered against the Wallabies and New Zealand last autumn.

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

Should they win, 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)