The English Team Secures Ninth Straight Victory 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

England notched 4 tries after halftime to overcome a physical Fijian team in their latest autumn international.

The victory continues the English team's undefeated streak to nine matches and supports their win over the Wallabies last Saturday.

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

Fly-half Muntz missed both conversions but kicked a penalty to take the visitors further ahead before Feyi-Waboso scored.

Ellis Genge and the Fijian hooker then exchanged tries to begin an entertaining final forty minutes.

Substitutes Jamie George and Arundell, who showed his blistering speed, finished off tries to take the English side into a comfortable lead.

These tries came around Fijian halfback Kuruvoli spilling the ball when attempting to score.

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

Borthwick's side now meet the All Blacks this coming weekend in their toughest test on paper this autumn.

Prior to this match, England had claimed victory in 8 of their 9 games with Fiji – most recently winning a close contest in the quarter-finals of the last global tournament.

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

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

Following smooth attacking phases, number eight Chandler Cunningham-South made good ground before Cowan-Dickie barged over for the opening score from close range, with Ikanivere's try off the back of a maul providing a swift reply.

Nicknamed the flying Fijians, that was clear in defence through monstrous first-half tackles in the center, with full-back Marcus Smith, used as a additional playmaker, in especial picked out.

But it was the vintage attacking Fijian flare that was the standout moment in the opening half as passes out of the tackle cut England's defence open for the fly-half to score.

The winger expertly collected a kick across the field by Smith to take the hosts into the lead after he had been illegally challenged in the air by Ravutaumada, who was given a sin-binning following a video review.

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

A significantly altered starting XV from the victory over the Wallabies did score the following touchdown as Genge went over following a strong carry by Ollie Lawrence, who was making his international comeback after suffering his Achilles versus the Italians in spring.

Nonetheless, after a clever set piece was finished by Ikanivere, the coach unloaded several of his bench on the 54-minute mark – featuring Lions tourists Pollock and Curry.

With the game still up for grabs, Fiji scrum-half Kuruvoli lost control of the ball when reaching for the goal line to cancel out replacement the hooker's score.

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

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

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

It is packed with top players and talent, which has helped secure victories in the closing stages that were squandered versus the Wallabies and New Zealand the previous fall.

Considering the Scottish side ran New Zealand close, Borthwick's side will feel confident of sending a message this weekend.

Should they win, 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)