The English Team Earns Ninth Straight Victory Over Tough Fijian Side

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

England racked up 4 second-half tries to beat a tough Fiji side in their latest fall test match.

The victory extends Steve Borthwick's side's winning run to nine matches and supports their triumph over the Wallabies last Saturday.

The home side got on the board first through hooker Cowan-Dickie before the visitors responded with tries by Ikanivere and Caleb Muntz.

Fly-half Muntz failed to convert either try but slotted a penalty to take the visitors further clear before Feyi-Waboso scored.

Ellis Genge and the Fijian hooker then traded scores to begin an entertaining final forty minutes.

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

These tries came around Fiji scrum-half Kuruvoli fumbling the ball when going for the tryline.

England captain Maro Itoje, who also came off the bench, scored the last touchdown.

The English team now play the All Blacks this coming weekend in their biggest challenge theoretically this autumn.

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

Their sole loss came two months prior the competition in Europe and was a major turning point under Borthwick.

With the Pacific Islanders on a five-match winning run – their joint longest run since the late nineties – the game was always expected to be hard-fought.

Following slick phase play, back rower Chandler Cunningham-South made good ground before Cowan-Dickie barged over for the first try from short distance, with Ikanivere's try off the back of a driving maul providing a quick response.

Known as the Flying Fijians, that was evident in defense through huge first-half midfield hits, with number fifteen Marcus Smith, used as a second playmaker, in particular picked out.

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

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

The English team broke clear from the Wallabies the previous weekend in the last twenty minutes through the strength of their bench that included multiple Lions tourists.

A much-changed starting lineup from the victory over the Australians did grab the next try as Genge went over following a powerful run by 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 several of his bench on the 54-minute mark – featuring Lions tourists Pollock and Curry.

With the game still in the balance, Fijian number nine the halfback lost control of the ball when stretching for the goal line to cancel out replacement George's try.

Breakdown specialist Ben Earl, a try-scorer versus the Wallabies, produced a spectacular game-saving stop to maintain breathing room between the teams.

It topped off another all-round impressive display by Earl, who picked up back-to-back player-of-the-match awards.

Arundell's pace to chase down a grubber kick demonstrated exactly why England's bench is so influential.

It is full of stars and quality, which has helped secure wins in the closing stages that were lost against the Wallabies and New Zealand the previous fall.

Given the Scottish side ran New Zealand close, Borthwick's side will feel confident of sending a message next week.

If successful, the substitutes 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)