The English Team Earns Ninth Consecutive Win Over Physical 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 scored 4 tries after halftime to beat a tough Fijian team in their second fall test match.

This win lengthens Steve Borthwick's side's undefeated streak to nine matches and follows up their win over the Wallabies last Saturday.

England opened the scoring through hooker Cowan-Dickie before the visitors responded with scores by Tevita Ikanivere and Caleb Muntz.

Number ten the Fijian playmaker failed to convert either try but nailed a penalty to take the Fijians further clear before Immanuel Feyi-Waboso crossed.

Prop Genge and Ikanivere then traded scores to begin an entertaining second half.

Replacements Jamie George and Henry Arundell, who displayed his scintillating pace, finished off tries to take the English side into a comfortable lead.

These tries came either side of Fijian halfback Simi Kuruvoli dropping the ball when attempting to score.

Skipper Maro Itoje, who also came off the bench, grabbed the last touchdown.

The English team now play New Zealand this coming weekend in their biggest challenge on paper this fall.

Before this match, England had won 8 of their nine games 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 Europe and was a major turning point under the head coach.

With the Pacific Islanders on a five-match winning run – their joint longest streak since the late nineties – the game was always expected to be tight.

After smooth attacking phases, number eight Chandler Cunningham-South gained valuable meters 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 swift reply.

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

But it was the vintage attacking Fijian flare that was the highlight in the opening half as passes out of the tackle sliced through the English defense for Muntz to touch down.

The winger expertly collected a cross-field kick by Smith to take England ahead after he had been dangerously taken out in the air by Ravutaumada, who was awarded a yellow card following a video review.

England broke clear from the Wallabies the previous weekend in the final quarter through the impact of their replacements that contained six Lions tourists.

A much-changed starting lineup from the victory over the Wallabies did grab the next try as the prop went over following a powerful run by Lawrence, who was returning to the national side after tearing his Achilles against Italy in March.

However, after a smart set piece was finished by Ikanivere, the coach introduced five of his bench on the 54th minute – including Lions tourists Pollock and Curry.

With the match still in the balance, Fijian number nine Kuruvoli fumbled of the ball when reaching for the tryline to negate substitute George's try.

Breakdown specialist Earl, a try-scorer versus the Wallabies, produced a spectacular try-saving tackle to keep breathing room between the teams.

It capped another all-round impressive performance by the flanker, who received consecutive player-of-the-match awards.

Arundell's pace to chase down a grubber kick demonstrated exactly why the English replacements is so impactful.

It is packed with top players and quality, which has helped secure victories in the final quarter that were squandered against Australia and the All Blacks the previous fall.

Given the Scottish side pushed the All Blacks hard, the English team will fancy their chances of making a big statement this weekend.

If successful, the substitutes 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)