England Earns 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

The English squad racked up four second-half tries to defeat a tough Fijian team in their latest autumn international.

This win lengthens the English team's undefeated streak to nine matches and follows up their win over Australia last Saturday.

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

Number ten Muntz failed to convert either try but slotted a penalty goal to take the Fijians further clear before Feyi-Waboso scored.

Prop Genge and Ikanivere then exchanged tries to spark an thrilling second half.

Replacements Jamie George and Arundell, who demonstrated his scintillating pace, finished off tries to take the hosts clear.

Those scores came either side of Fijian halfback Kuruvoli dropping the ball when going for the tryline.

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

The English team now meet the All Blacks this coming weekend in their biggest challenge on paper this fall.

Prior to this meeting, England had won eight of their nine games with the Fijian side – most recently winning 30-24 in the last eight of the last global tournament.

That one defeat came just weeks before the tournament in Europe and was a significant shift under Borthwick.

With Fiji on a five-game streak – their equal best streak since 1999 – the game was always likely to be hard-fought.

Following slick phase play, back rower Cunningham-South made good ground before the hooker forced his way over for the opening score from short distance, with Ikanivere's try off the back of a driving maul adding a quick response.

Known as the flying Fijians, that was clear in defense through huge first-half midfield hits, with number fifteen Smith, deployed as a additional playmaker, in especial targeted.

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 Muntz to touch down.

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

The English team broke clear from the Wallabies the previous weekend in the last twenty minutes through the power of their bench that contained six British and Irish Lions.

A significantly altered starting lineup from the win over the Australians did score the next try as Genge crossed following a powerful run by Lawrence, who was returning to the national side after tearing his Achilles tendon versus the Italians in spring.

However, after a smart line-out move was completed by the Fijian, Borthwick unloaded five of his substitutes on the 54th minute – including Lions tourists Pollock and Tom Curry.

With the game still up for grabs, Fijian number nine the halfback fumbled of the ball when reaching for the goal line to cancel out substitute the hooker's score.

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

It capped another outstanding overall performance by the flanker, who picked up consecutive man of the match honors.

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

It is packed with stars and quality, which has aided in victories in the final quarter that were lost against the Wallabies and New Zealand the previous fall.

Given the Scottish side pushed the All Blacks hard, Borthwick's side will feel confident of sending a message this weekend.

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)