The English Team Claims 9th Consecutive Victory Over 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 racked up four tries after halftime to beat a tough Fijian team in their latest autumn international.

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

The home side opened the scoring through hooker Cowan-Dickie before the visitors answered back with tries by Tevita Ikanivere and Caleb Muntz.

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

Prop Genge and Ikanivere then exchanged tries to ignite an entertaining second half.

Substitutes George and Henry Arundell, who showed his scintillating pace, touched down to take the hosts into a comfortable lead.

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

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

The English team now play New Zealand this coming weekend in their toughest test theoretically this fall.

Before this meeting, the English team had claimed victory in 8 of their 9 games with the Fijian side – most recently taking a close contest in the last eight of the last global tournament.

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

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

After slick phase play, number eight Cunningham-South made good ground before the hooker barged over for the first try from close range, with the Fijian's score off the back of a driving maul adding a swift reply.

Known as the Flying Fijians, that was clear in defence through huge first-half tackles in the center, with number fifteen Smith, deployed as a second playmaker, in particular targeted.

But it was the vintage Fijian attacking flair that was the highlight in the first forty as offloads sliced through the English defense for the fly-half to score.

The winger expertly collected a kick across the field by Fin Smith to take England ahead after he had been illegally challenged in the air by Selestino Ravutaumada, who was awarded a yellow card following a bunker review.

England broke clear from Australia the previous weekend in the final quarter through the impact of their replacements that included multiple British and Irish Lions.

A significantly altered starting lineup from the victory over the Australians did score the next try as the prop crossed following a strong carry by Lawrence, who was returning to the national side after suffering his Achilles against Italy in spring.

Nonetheless, after a clever line-out move was completed by Ikanivere, Borthwick unloaded five of his substitutes on the 54th minute – featuring Lions tourists Henry Pollock and Tom Curry.

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

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

It capped another outstanding overall display by the flanker, who received back-to-back man of the match honors.

Arundell's pace to race on to a grubber kick demonstrated exactly why the English replacements is so impactful.

It is full of stars and talent, which has helped secure victories in the closing stages that were squandered versus the Wallabies and New Zealand last autumn.

Given Scotland pushed the All Blacks hard, the English team will feel confident of sending a message this weekend.

Should they win, 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)