England Secures 9th Straight Win Against Physical Fijian Side

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 notched 4 tries after halftime to overcome a resilient Fijian team in their second fall test match.

This win continues Steve Borthwick's side's winning run to nine matches and supports their triumph 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 nailed a penalty goal to take the visitors further clear before Feyi-Waboso scored.

Ellis Genge and the Fijian hooker then traded scores to begin an entertaining final forty minutes.

Substitutes George and Arundell, who demonstrated his blistering speed, finished off tries to take the English side into a comfortable lead.

These tries came around Fiji scrum-half Simi Kuruvoli spilling the ball when going for the tryline.

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

The English team now meet New Zealand next Saturday in their toughest test on paper this autumn.

Before this meeting, England had claimed victory in 8 of their nine matches with the Fijian side – most recently winning a close contest in the quarter-finals of the 2023 World Cup.

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

With Fiji on a five-match winning run – their joint longest run since the late nineties – the game was always likely to be competitive.

After slick phase play, number eight Chandler Cunningham-South gained valuable meters before the hooker barged over for the first try from short distance, with the Fijian's score off the back of a maul adding a quick response.

Nicknamed the flying Fijians, that was apparent in defense through monstrous first-half tackles in the center, with number fifteen Smith, used as a second playmaker, in particular targeted.

But it was the vintage Fijian attacking flair that was the highlight in the opening half as offloads sliced through the English defense for Muntz to score.

The winger 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 yellow card following a bunker review.

The English team pulled away from the Wallabies the previous weekend in the last twenty minutes through the power of their bench that contained six Lions tourists.

A much-changed starting lineup from the win over the Australians did score the next try as the prop went over following a powerful run by Lawrence, who was making his international comeback after suffering his Achilles tendon versus Italy in March.

However, after a smart set piece was finished by Ikanivere, Borthwick introduced several of his bench on the 54th minute – including Lions tourists Pollock and Curry.

With the game still in the balance, Fijian number nine the halfback fumbled of the ball when reaching for the goal line to negate substitute George's try.

Flanker Earl, a try-scorer against the Wallabies, produced a spectacular game-saving stop to maintain a narrow lead between the sides.

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

The substitute's speed to race on to a grubber kick demonstrated exactly why England's bench is so impactful.

It is full of stars and talent, which has helped secure wins in the final quarter that were squandered against the Wallabies and New Zealand last autumn.

Given Scotland ran New Zealand close, the English team will fancy their chances of sending a message this weekend.

If successful, the bench 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)