The English Team Claims Ninth Consecutive Win Over Tough Fiji

Quilter Nations 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 scored four tries after halftime to beat a resilient Fijian team in their second autumn international.

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

England opened the scoring through Luke Cowan-Dickie before Fiji answered back with tries by Tevita Ikanivere and Muntz.

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

Prop Genge and the Fijian hooker then exchanged tries to ignite an exciting second half.

Replacements Jamie George and Henry 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 dropping the ball when attempting to score.

Skipper Maro Itoje, who also came off the bench, secured the final try.

Borthwick's side now face the All Blacks this coming weekend in their biggest challenge theoretically this autumn.

Prior to this encounter, the English team had claimed victory in 8 of their 9 games with Fiji – most recently winning 30-24 in the quarter-finals of the last global tournament.

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

With Fiji on a five-match winning run – their joint longest run since the late nineties – the game was always likely to be tight.

After smooth attacking phases, number eight Chandler Cunningham-South made good ground before the hooker forced his way over for the first try from short distance, with Ikanivere's try off the back of a maul providing a quick response.

Known as the flying Fijians, that was clear in defense through huge opening period tackles in the center, with number fifteen Marcus Smith, deployed as a additional playmaker, in particular targeted.

But it was the vintage Fijian attacking flair that was the standout moment in the first forty as passes out of the tackle sliced through the English defense for Muntz to touch down.

Feyi-Waboso sharply finished a kick across the field by Smith to take England ahead after he had been illegally challenged in the air by Ravutaumada, who was awarded a yellow card following a bunker review.

The English team pulled away from Australia the previous weekend in the final quarter through the strength of their bench that included multiple Lions tourists.

A significantly altered starting XV from the victory over the Wallabies did score the next try as the prop went over following a powerful run by Ollie Lawrence, who was making his international comeback after suffering his Achilles versus Italy in spring.

However, after a smart line-out move was completed by the Fijian, the coach introduced several of his bench on the 54-minute mark – including Lions players Pollock and Curry.

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

Flanker Ben Earl, who scored against Australia, produced a spectacular game-saving stop to keep a narrow lead between the teams.

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

The substitute's speed to chase down a grubber kick showcased exactly why the English replacements is so impactful.

It is full of stars and talent, which has helped secure victories in the closing stages that were squandered versus Australia and the All Blacks the previous fall.

Given Scotland pushed the All Blacks hard, the English team will feel confident of sending a message next week.

If successful, the substitutes 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)