The English Team Secures 9th Straight Victory Over 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

England racked up 4 tries after halftime to defeat a tough Fiji side in their second autumn international.

The victory extends Steve Borthwick's side's undefeated streak to nine games and follows up their triumph over the Wallabies last Saturday.

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

Number ten the Fijian playmaker failed to convert either try but kicked a penalty to take the visitors further ahead before Immanuel Feyi-Waboso scored.

Prop Genge and the Fijian hooker then traded scores to spark an exciting final forty minutes.

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

Those scores came either side of Fiji scrum-half Kuruvoli fumbling the ball when attempting to score.

England captain Maro Itoje, who also entered as a substitute, scored the last touchdown.

The English team now meet New Zealand this coming weekend in their toughest test on paper this autumn.

Before this match, England had won eight of their nine matches with the Fijian side – most lately winning 30-24 in the quarter-finals 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 Fiji on a five-game streak – their equal best run since the late nineties – the fixture was always expected to be tight.

After smooth attacking phases, back rower Chandler Cunningham-South made good ground before Cowan-Dickie forced his way over for the opening score from close range, with Ikanivere's try off the back of a maul providing a swift reply.

Known as the Flying Fijians, that was clear in defence through monstrous 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 the fly-half to score.

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

England pulled away from Australia last Saturday in the final quarter through the impact of their replacements that contained six British and Irish Lions.

A significantly altered starting lineup from the win over the Australians did grab the following touchdown as Genge crossed following a strong carry by Lawrence, who was returning to the national side after tearing his Achilles against Italy in spring.

However, after a smart set piece was completed by the Fijian, 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 lost control of the ball when stretching for the tryline to negate replacement the hooker's score.

Breakdown specialist Ben Earl, who scored against Australia, produced a stunning game-saving stop to keep a narrow lead between the sides.

It capped another all-round impressive display by Earl, who received back-to-back man of the match honors.

The substitute's speed to race on to a grubber kick demonstrated exactly why England's bench is so influential.

It is packed with stars and quality, which has aided in wins in the closing stages that were lost versus the Wallabies and New Zealand the previous fall.

Considering Scotland ran New Zealand close, Borthwick's side 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)