England Earns 9th Straight Victory Over Tough 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 scored 4 tries after halftime to overcome a tough Fiji side in their latest autumn international.

The victory extends the English team's undefeated streak to nine matches and backs up their triumph over the Wallabies the previous weekend.

England got on the board first through Luke Cowan-Dickie before the visitors responded with tries by Tevita Ikanivere and Muntz.

Fly-half Muntz failed to convert either try but slotted a penalty to take the visitors further ahead before Feyi-Waboso scored.

Prop Genge and the Fijian hooker then traded scores to ignite an exciting final forty minutes.

Replacements Jamie George and Henry Arundell, who displayed his blistering speed, finished off tries to take the English side clear.

Those scores came either side of Fiji scrum-half Kuruvoli fumbling the ball when going for the tryline.

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

Borthwick's side now face the All Blacks next Saturday in their toughest test theoretically this fall.

Prior to this encounter, England had claimed victory in eight of their 9 games with Fiji – most recently taking a close contest 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 the head coach.

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

After slick phase play, number eight Chandler Cunningham-South made good ground before the hooker barged over for the first try from close range, with the Fijian's score off the back of a driving maul providing a swift reply.

Known as the flying Fijians, that was evident in defense through powerful first-half midfield hits, with full-back Marcus Smith, deployed 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 cut England's defence open for the fly-half to touch down.

Feyi-Waboso expertly collected a kick across the field by Fin Smith to take England ahead after he had been illegally challenged in the air by Ravutaumada, who was awarded a sin-binning following a video review.

England pulled away from Australia last Saturday in the last twenty minutes through the impact of their replacements that included multiple Lions tourists.

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

However, after a clever line-out move was finished by Ikanivere, Borthwick unloaded several of his bench on the 54-minute mark – featuring Lions tourists Henry Pollock and Tom Curry.

With the match still up for grabs, Fijian number nine the halfback fumbled of the ball when stretching for the tryline to cancel out substitute George's try.

Breakdown specialist Ben Earl, who scored versus Australia, produced a stunning try-saving tackle to keep breathing room between the teams.

It capped another all-round impressive performance by Earl, who picked up consecutive man of the match honors.

Arundell's pace to race on to a kick through demonstrated exactly why the English replacements is so influential.

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

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

If successful, the substitutes will probably 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)