The English Team Claims Ninth Straight Victory Against 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 scored 4 tries after halftime to defeat a physical Fiji side in their second autumn international.

The victory extends Steve Borthwick's side's winning run to nine matches and follows up their triumph over the Wallabies last Saturday.

England opened the scoring through Luke Cowan-Dickie before Fiji answered back with tries by Ikanivere and Caleb Muntz.

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

Prop Genge and the Fijian hooker then exchanged tries to ignite an entertaining final forty minutes.

Replacements Jamie George and Henry Arundell, who demonstrated his scintillating pace, touched down to take the hosts into a comfortable lead.

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

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

The English team now meet New Zealand next Saturday in their biggest challenge on paper this fall.

Prior to this match, England had won 8 of their nine matches with the Fijian side – most lately winning 30-24 in the last eight of the last global tournament.

That one defeat came just weeks before the tournament in France and was a significant shift under the head coach.

With the Pacific Islanders on a five-game streak – their joint longest streak since 1999 – 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 Ikanivere's try off the back of a maul adding a swift reply.

Known as the Flying Fijians, that was clear in defense through powerful first-half tackles in the center, with full-back Marcus Smith, deployed as a second playmaker, in particular picked out.

But it was the classic attacking Fijian flare that was the highlight in the first forty as offloads sliced through the English defense for Muntz to touch down.

The winger sharply finished a cross-field kick by Fin Smith to take England into the lead after he had been dangerously taken out in the air by Ravutaumada, who was given a yellow card following a bunker review.

The English team pulled away from the Wallabies last Saturday in the final quarter through the impact of their replacements that included six Lions tourists.

A much-changed starting lineup from the win over the Australians did score the next try as Genge went over following a strong carry by Ollie Lawrence, who was returning to the national side after tearing his Achilles tendon versus the Italians in March.

Nonetheless, after a smart line-out move was completed by Ikanivere, Borthwick introduced five of his bench on the 54th minute – including Lions tourists Henry Pollock and Curry.

With the game still in the balance, Fijian number nine the halfback lost control of the ball when stretching for the goal line to negate replacement the hooker's score.

Breakdown specialist Ben Earl, a try-scorer against the Wallabies, produced a stunning game-saving stop to maintain breathing room between the teams.

It topped off another all-round impressive display by the flanker, who picked up consecutive man of the match honors.

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

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

Given the Scottish side pushed the All Blacks hard, the English team will feel confident of sending a message next week.

Should they win, the bench 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)