England Claims Ninth Straight Victory Over Physical 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 notched four tries after halftime to beat a resilient Fijian team in their latest fall test match.

The victory continues the English team's winning run 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 Fiji answered back with tries by Ikanivere and Muntz.

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

Prop Genge and Ikanivere then traded scores to spark an entertaining final forty minutes.

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

These tries came around Fiji scrum-half Simi Kuruvoli spilling the ball when attempting to score.

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

Borthwick's side now meet New Zealand next Saturday in their biggest challenge on paper this autumn.

Prior to this meeting, the English team had claimed victory in 8 of their 9 matches with the Fijian side – most recently winning a close contest in the quarter-finals of the last global tournament.

Their sole loss came two months prior the tournament in France 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 game was always likely to be tight.

Following slick phase play, back rower Chandler Cunningham-South gained valuable meters before Cowan-Dickie barged over for the first try from close range, with Ikanivere's try off the back of a driving maul providing a quick response.

Nicknamed the flying Fijians, that was evident in defense through huge first-half tackles in the center, with number fifteen Smith, used 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 cut England's defence open for the fly-half to score.

Feyi-Waboso 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 video review.

The English team pulled away from Australia last Saturday in the last twenty minutes through the power of their bench that included multiple Lions tourists.

A much-changed starting lineup from the victory over the Australians did score the next try as Genge 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 clever line-out move was completed by Ikanivere, Borthwick unloaded several of his bench on the 54th minute – 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 goal line to cancel out substitute the hooker's score.

Flanker Ben Earl, a try-scorer versus the Wallabies, produced a stunning try-saving tackle to keep breathing room between the teams.

It topped off another outstanding overall display by Earl, who picked up back-to-back man of the match honors.

The substitute's speed to chase down a kick through demonstrated exactly why the English replacements is so impactful.

It is full of top players and talent, which has helped secure wins in the final quarter that were squandered against Australia and the All Blacks the previous fall.

Given the Scottish side ran New Zealand close, Borthwick's side will feel confident of making a big statement 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)