England Claims Ninth Consecutive Victory Over Tough 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

The English squad scored four second-half tries to beat a tough Fijian team in their second autumn international.

This win continues the English team's undefeated streak to nine matches and follows up their triumph over the Wallabies the previous weekend.

England got on the board first through hooker Cowan-Dickie before the visitors answered back with scores by Ikanivere and Caleb Muntz.

Number ten the Fijian playmaker failed to convert either try but slotted a penalty to take the visitors further ahead before Feyi-Waboso scored.

Prop Genge and Ikanivere then traded scores to begin an entertaining second half.

Substitutes George and Arundell, who displayed his scintillating pace, touched down to take the English side clear.

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

Skipper Maro Itoje, who also came off the bench, secured the last touchdown.

Borthwick's side now face New Zealand this coming weekend in their toughest test on paper this autumn.

Before this encounter, the English team had won 8 of their nine games with Fiji – most recently winning 30-24 in the quarter-finals of the last global tournament.

Their sole loss came just weeks before the competition in Europe and was a significant shift under the head coach.

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

Following smooth attacking phases, number eight Chandler Cunningham-South made good ground before the hooker forced his way over for the first try from close range, with Ikanivere's try off the back of a driving maul adding a quick response.

Known as the flying Fijians, that was clear in defence through powerful first-half midfield hits, with full-back Smith, deployed as a additional playmaker, in particular picked out.

But it was the classic attacking Fijian flare that was the standout moment in the first forty as passes out of the tackle sliced through the English defense for the fly-half to score.

Feyi-Waboso expertly collected a kick across the field by Fin Smith to take the hosts into the lead after he had been dangerously taken out in the air by Ravutaumada, who was given a sin-binning following a video review.

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

A much-changed starting XV from the victory over the Australians did grab the following touchdown as the prop went over following a strong carry by Ollie Lawrence, who was returning to the national side after suffering his Achilles tendon against Italy in spring.

However, after a clever set piece was completed by the Fijian, the coach introduced five of his bench on the 54-minute mark – featuring Lions tourists Henry Pollock and Curry.

With the match still up for grabs, Fiji scrum-half the halfback fumbled of the ball when reaching for the tryline to negate substitute George's try.

Flanker Ben Earl, who scored against Australia, produced a spectacular try-saving tackle to keep a narrow lead between the sides.

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

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

It is full of stars and quality, which has helped secure wins in the closing stages that were squandered against the Wallabies and New Zealand the previous fall.

Given Scotland pushed the All Blacks hard, Borthwick's side will feel confident of making a big statement 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)