The English Team Secures 9th Straight Win 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 notched four second-half tries to defeat a physical Fijian team in their latest autumn international.

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

England got on the board first through Luke Cowan-Dickie before the visitors responded with tries by Tevita Ikanivere and Muntz.

Fly-half Muntz failed to convert either try but nailed a penalty to take the Fijians further ahead before Feyi-Waboso crossed.

Prop Genge and Ikanivere then exchanged tries to begin an entertaining final forty minutes.

Replacements Jamie George and Arundell, who demonstrated his scintillating pace, touched down to take the English side into a comfortable lead.

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

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

Borthwick's side now meet New Zealand next Saturday in their toughest test on paper this autumn.

Prior to this meeting, England had won 8 of their 9 matches with Fiji – most recently winning a close contest in the quarter-finals of the 2023 World Cup.

Their sole loss came just weeks before the competition in France and was a significant shift under the head coach.

With Fiji on a five-game streak – their equal best streak since the late nineties – the fixture was always likely to be hard-fought.

After slick phase play, number eight 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 maul providing a quick response.

Nicknamed the Flying Fijians, that was apparent in defense through monstrous first-half midfield hits, with number fifteen Smith, deployed as a second playmaker, in particular targeted.

But it was the vintage attacking Fijian flare that was the highlight in the first forty 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 into the lead after he had been illegally challenged in the air by Ravutaumada, who was given a yellow card following a bunker review.

The English team pulled away from the Wallabies last Saturday in the final quarter through the strength of their replacements that contained six British and Irish Lions.

A much-changed starting XV from the victory over the Australians did grab the following touchdown as Genge crossed following a powerful run by Ollie Lawrence, who was returning to the national side after tearing his Achilles against Italy in spring.

Nonetheless, after a clever line-out move was completed by the Fijian, the coach introduced five of his bench on the 54-minute mark – including Lions tourists Pollock and Curry.

With the match still in the balance, Fiji scrum-half the halfback lost control of the ball when stretching for the tryline to negate substitute George's try.

Flanker Earl, who scored against the Wallabies, produced a spectacular try-saving tackle to maintain breathing room between the sides.

It topped off another all-round impressive performance by Earl, who received consecutive man of the match honors.

The substitute's speed to chase down a kick through demonstrated exactly why England's bench is so influential.

It is packed with top players and talent, which has aided in wins in the final quarter that were lost versus the Wallabies and New Zealand the previous fall.

Given Scotland ran New Zealand close, Borthwick's side will feel confident of sending a message this weekend.

If successful, the substitutes will likely 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)