England Claims 9th Consecutive Win Against Physical 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

The English squad notched four tries after halftime to defeat a resilient Fijian team in their second fall test match.

This win continues Steve Borthwick's side's winning run to nine games and follows up their win over the Wallabies last Saturday.

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

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

Ellis Genge and the Fijian hooker then traded scores to spark an exciting second half.

Substitutes Jamie George and Henry Arundell, who showed his blistering speed, touched down to take the English side clear.

Those scores came around Fiji scrum-half Simi Kuruvoli fumbling the ball when going for the tryline.

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

The English team now face New Zealand next Saturday in their toughest test on paper this fall.

Before this encounter, England had claimed victory in eight of their 9 matches with the Fijian side – most lately winning 30-24 in the quarter-finals of the 2023 World Cup.

That one defeat came two months prior the competition in France and was a significant shift under the head coach.

With the Pacific Islanders on a five-match winning run – their joint longest run since 1999 – the game was always likely to be competitive.

After slick phase play, back rower Cunningham-South gained valuable meters before the hooker barged over for the first try from close range, with Ikanivere's try off the back of a driving maul providing a quick response.

Nicknamed the Flying Fijians, that was apparent in defense through huge opening period midfield hits, with full-back 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 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 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 bench that included multiple British and Irish Lions.

A much-changed starting XV from the victory over the Wallabies did score the following touchdown as Genge crossed following a powerful run by Ollie Lawrence, who was returning to the national side after suffering his Achilles versus the Italians in March.

Nonetheless, after a clever line-out move was completed by the Fijian, Borthwick introduced several of his substitutes on the 54-minute mark – featuring Lions players Henry Pollock and Curry.

With the match still in the balance, Fiji scrum-half the halfback lost control of the ball when reaching for the goal line to negate replacement the hooker's score.

Breakdown specialist Earl, a try-scorer against Australia, produced a spectacular game-saving stop to maintain breathing room between the sides.

It capped another outstanding overall performance by the flanker, who picked up consecutive player-of-the-match awards.

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

It is packed with stars and quality, which has aided in wins in the closing stages that were lost against the Wallabies and New Zealand last autumn.

Considering Scotland ran New Zealand close, the English team will feel confident of making a big statement this weekend.

If successful, the substitutes will likely 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)