England Earns 9th Straight Victory 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

England scored 4 second-half tries to overcome a resilient Fijian team in their second autumn international.

The victory lengthens the English team's undefeated streak to nine games and follows up their triumph over the Wallabies the previous weekend.

England got on the board first through hooker Cowan-Dickie before the visitors answered back with scores by Tevita Ikanivere and Caleb Muntz.

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

Prop Genge and Ikanivere then exchanged tries to ignite an exciting final forty minutes.

Substitutes George and Arundell, who showed his scintillating pace, touched down to take the hosts into a comfortable lead.

Those scores came either side of Fiji scrum-half Simi Kuruvoli fumbling the ball when attempting to score.

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

The English team now face the All Blacks next Saturday in their biggest challenge on paper this autumn.

Before this encounter, England had won eight of their 9 games with Fiji – most lately winning 30-24 in the last eight of the 2023 World Cup.

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

With Fiji on a five-game streak – their joint longest streak since the late nineties – the game was always likely to be hard-fought.

After slick phase play, back rower Cunningham-South made good ground before Cowan-Dickie barged over for the opening score from short distance, with the Fijian's score off the back of a driving maul adding a swift reply.

Nicknamed the flying Fijians, that was clear in defense through powerful opening period tackles in the center, with full-back Smith, used as a additional playmaker, in especial picked out.

But it was the vintage attacking Fijian flare that was the highlight in the opening half as offloads cut England's defence open for the fly-half to touch down.

Feyi-Waboso expertly collected 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 sin-binning following a bunker review.

The English team broke clear from the Wallabies last Saturday in the final quarter through the power of their replacements that contained multiple British and Irish Lions.

A significantly altered starting lineup from the win over the Wallabies did score the next try as the prop went over following a strong carry by Lawrence, who was returning to the national side after tearing his Achilles against Italy in March.

However, after a clever line-out move was completed by the Fijian, Borthwick introduced several of his bench on the 54th minute – featuring Lions tourists Henry Pollock and Tom Curry.

With the match still in the balance, Fijian number nine the halfback fumbled of the ball when reaching for the goal line to negate replacement George's try.

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

It topped off another all-round impressive performance by Earl, who received back-to-back player-of-the-match awards.

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

It is full of top players and talent, which has aided in wins in the closing stages that were squandered against Australia and the All Blacks last autumn.

Considering Scotland pushed the All Blacks hard, the English team will feel confident of sending a message this weekend.

Should they win, the bench will likely 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)