The English Team Claims Ninth 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

England scored four second-half tries to beat a tough Fiji side in their second autumn international.

This win lengthens Steve Borthwick's side's winning run to nine matches 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 Tevita Ikanivere and Muntz.

Number ten Muntz missed both conversions but kicked a penalty goal to take the Fijians further clear before Feyi-Waboso crossed.

Ellis Genge and the Fijian hooker then exchanged tries to spark an entertaining final forty minutes.

Substitutes George and Henry Arundell, who showed his scintillating pace, finished off tries to take the hosts clear.

These tries came either side of Fiji scrum-half Kuruvoli spilling the ball when going for the tryline.

England captain Itoje, who also entered as a substitute, scored the last touchdown.

The English team now play the All Blacks this coming weekend in their toughest test theoretically this autumn.

Prior to this encounter, England had claimed victory in 8 of their nine matches with Fiji – most lately winning a close contest in the quarter-finals of the 2023 World Cup.

Their sole loss came just weeks before the tournament in France 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 tight.

Following slick phase play, number eight Chandler Cunningham-South made good ground before Cowan-Dickie barged over for the first try from short distance, with Ikanivere's try off the back of a maul adding a swift reply.

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

But it was the vintage attacking Fijian flare that was the highlight in the first forty as passes out of the tackle sliced through the English defense for the fly-half to touch down.

The winger expertly collected a kick across the field by Fin Smith to take England into the lead after he had been dangerously taken out in the air by Selestino Ravutaumada, who was awarded a sin-binning following a bunker review.

The English team broke clear from Australia the previous weekend in the final quarter through the power of their bench that included six British and Irish Lions.

A significantly altered starting XV from the victory over the Wallabies did score the next try as Genge went over following a strong carry by Ollie 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 54th minute – including Lions players Henry Pollock and Tom 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 George's try.

Flanker Ben Earl, who scored versus Australia, produced a stunning game-saving stop to maintain breathing room between the teams.

It topped off another outstanding overall performance by the flanker, who received consecutive player-of-the-match awards.

The substitute's speed to chase down a grubber kick demonstrated exactly why England's bench is so influential.

It is packed with stars and quality, which has helped secure wins in the closing stages that were lost against Australia and the All Blacks last autumn.

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

If successful, the substitutes 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)