The English Team Earns 9th Straight Victory Against Physical Fiji

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 racked up 4 second-half tries to beat a tough Fiji side in their second fall test match.

The victory extends the English team's undefeated streak to nine games and backs up their win over Australia last Saturday.

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

Fly-half the Fijian playmaker failed to convert either try but slotted a penalty to take the Fijians further clear before Feyi-Waboso scored.

Ellis Genge and the Fijian hooker then exchanged tries to spark an thrilling second half.

Replacements Jamie George and Arundell, who showed his blistering speed, touched down to take the English side into a comfortable lead.

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

Skipper Itoje, who also entered as a substitute, grabbed the last touchdown.

The English team now face the All Blacks this coming weekend in their toughest test on paper this autumn.

Before this meeting, England had won eight of their nine matches with the Fijian side – most lately winning a close contest in the last eight of the 2023 World Cup.

Their sole loss came two months prior the tournament in Europe and was a significant shift under Borthwick.

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

After smooth attacking phases, back rower Chandler Cunningham-South gained valuable meters before Cowan-Dickie forced his way over for the opening score from short distance, with Ikanivere's try off the back of a maul providing a swift reply.

Known as the Flying Fijians, that was clear in defense through monstrous first-half tackles in the center, with full-back Smith, deployed as a second playmaker, in especial targeted.

But it was the classic Fijian attacking flair that was the standout moment in the opening half as passes out of the tackle cut England's defence open for Muntz to score.

The winger sharply finished 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 sin-binning following a video review.

The English team pulled away from Australia the previous weekend 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 Australians did score the next try as Genge went over following a powerful run by Ollie Lawrence, who was returning to the national side after suffering his Achilles tendon against Italy in March.

Nonetheless, after a clever line-out move was finished by the Fijian, the coach introduced several of his substitutes on the 54-minute mark – including Lions tourists Henry Pollock and Tom Curry.

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

Flanker Ben Earl, a try-scorer against the Wallabies, produced a stunning try-saving tackle to maintain a narrow lead between the sides.

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

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

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

Given Scotland ran New Zealand close, the English team will feel confident of making a big statement this weekend.

If successful, 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)