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 overcome a resilient Fiji side in their second autumn international.

This win extends the English team's undefeated streak to nine games and supports their triumph over the Wallabies the previous weekend.

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

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

Ellis Genge and Ikanivere then traded scores to begin an entertaining final forty minutes.

Substitutes George and Arundell, who showed his scintillating pace, finished off tries to take the English side clear.

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

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

The English team now play the All Blacks this coming weekend in their toughest test theoretically this autumn.

Before this match, the English team had won 8 of their nine games with Fiji – most recently taking a close contest in the last eight of the 2023 World Cup.

Their sole loss came two months prior the tournament in France and was a major turning point under Borthwick.

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 competitive.

Following smooth attacking phases, number eight Chandler 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 maul providing a swift reply.

Known as the Flying Fijians, that was apparent in defense through huge opening period midfield hits, with number fifteen Smith, used as a second playmaker, in particular targeted.

But it was the classic attacking Fijian flare 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 Smith to take England ahead after he had been illegally challenged in the air by Ravutaumada, who was given a sin-binning following a video review.

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

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

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

With the match still up for grabs, Fiji scrum-half the halfback lost control of the ball when reaching for the tryline to cancel out replacement George's try.

Flanker Earl, a try-scorer against Australia, produced a spectacular try-saving tackle to maintain a narrow lead between the sides.

It topped off another outstanding overall display by the flanker, who received consecutive man of the match honors.

Arundell's pace to chase down a grubber kick demonstrated exactly why England's bench is so influential.

It is full of top players and talent, which has helped secure wins in the closing stages that were lost versus the Wallabies and New Zealand the previous fall.

Considering Scotland ran New Zealand close, Borthwick's side will fancy their chances of making a big statement next week.

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)