The English Team Earns 9th Straight 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

England scored four second-half tries to defeat a resilient Fijian team in their latest autumn international.

This win lengthens Steve Borthwick's side's undefeated streak to nine games and backs up their win over the Wallabies last Saturday.

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

Fly-half the Fijian playmaker failed to convert either try but kicked a penalty to take the visitors further clear before Feyi-Waboso crossed.

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

Replacements Jamie George and Arundell, who showed his scintillating pace, touched down to take the hosts clear.

These tries came around Fijian halfback Simi Kuruvoli spilling the ball when going for the tryline.

England captain Maro Itoje, who also came off the bench, grabbed the final try.

Borthwick's side now face the All Blacks this coming weekend in their biggest challenge on paper this autumn.

Prior to this match, the English team had claimed victory in eight of their 9 games with the Fijian side – most lately winning a close contest in the last eight of the 2023 World Cup.

That one defeat came just weeks before the tournament in France and was a major turning point under Borthwick.

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

After smooth attacking phases, back rower Chandler Cunningham-South gained valuable meters before the hooker forced his way over for the opening score from close range, with the Fijian's score off the back of a driving maul providing a swift reply.

Nicknamed the Flying Fijians, that was apparent in defence through monstrous opening period tackles in the center, with full-back Marcus Smith, used as a additional playmaker, in especial targeted.

But it was the vintage attacking Fijian flare that was the standout moment in the first forty as passes out of the tackle sliced through the English defense for Muntz to touch down.

Feyi-Waboso sharply finished a cross-field kick by Fin 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.

England pulled away from Australia the previous weekend in the last twenty minutes through the power of their bench that included multiple British and Irish Lions.

A much-changed starting lineup from the win over the Wallabies did score the following touchdown as the prop crossed following a strong carry by Lawrence, who was returning to the national side after suffering his Achilles tendon versus Italy in spring.

However, after a clever set piece was finished by Ikanivere, Borthwick introduced several of his bench on the 54-minute mark – including Lions players Pollock and Tom Curry.

With the game still up for grabs, Fiji scrum-half Kuruvoli lost control of the ball when stretching for the tryline to negate replacement George's try.

Flanker Ben Earl, a try-scorer versus Australia, produced a spectacular try-saving tackle to maintain breathing room between the teams.

It capped another all-round impressive performance by Earl, who picked up back-to-back player-of-the-match awards.

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

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

Given Scotland ran New Zealand close, Borthwick's side 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)