The English Team Claims 9th Consecutive Win Against 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

England scored four second-half tries to beat a physical Fijian team in their second autumn international.

The victory lengthens Steve Borthwick's side's undefeated streak to nine games and follows up their win over Australia last Saturday.

England got on the board first through Luke Cowan-Dickie before Fiji answered back with tries by Ikanivere and Caleb Muntz.

Fly-half the Fijian playmaker failed to convert either try but slotted a penalty goal to take the Fijians further clear before Feyi-Waboso crossed.

Prop Genge and Ikanivere then traded scores to begin an thrilling final forty minutes.

Substitutes Jamie George and Arundell, who showed his blistering speed, finished off tries to take the hosts into a comfortable lead.

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

England captain Maro Itoje, who also entered as a substitute, secured the final try.

Borthwick's side now face the All Blacks next Saturday in their biggest challenge theoretically this fall.

Prior to this encounter, the English team had won eight of their nine matches with the Fijian side – most recently winning a close contest in the last eight of the 2023 World Cup.

That one defeat came just weeks before the competition in Europe and was a major turning point under the head coach.

With Fiji on a five-match winning run – their equal best run since 1999 – the fixture was always likely to be hard-fought.

Following smooth attacking phases, number eight Chandler Cunningham-South gained valuable meters before Cowan-Dickie barged over for the first try from short distance, with the Fijian's score off the back of a maul adding a quick response.

Known as the flying Fijians, that was apparent in defense through powerful first-half tackles in the center, with full-back Marcus Smith, used as a second playmaker, in especial targeted.

But it was the vintage attacking Fijian flare that was the highlight in the first forty as offloads 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 the hosts into the lead after he had been illegally challenged in the air by Selestino Ravutaumada, who was given a sin-binning following a bunker review.

The English team pulled away from Australia the previous weekend in the last twenty minutes through the strength of their bench that included multiple British and Irish Lions.

A significantly altered starting lineup from the win over the Wallabies did grab the next try as the prop went over following a strong carry by Ollie Lawrence, who was returning to the national side after suffering his Achilles versus Italy in spring.

Nonetheless, after a smart line-out move was finished by the Fijian, Borthwick introduced several of his bench on the 54th minute – including Lions tourists Pollock and Tom Curry.

With the game still in the balance, Fiji scrum-half the halfback fumbled of the ball when stretching for the tryline to cancel out substitute George's try.

Flanker Earl, a try-scorer against Australia, produced a stunning try-saving tackle to maintain a narrow lead between the sides.

It topped off another outstanding overall display by the flanker, who picked up back-to-back player-of-the-match awards.

Arundell's pace to chase down a grubber kick demonstrated exactly why England's bench is so influential.

It is packed with top players and quality, which has aided in victories in the final quarter that were lost versus the Wallabies and New Zealand the previous fall.

Considering the Scottish side ran New Zealand close, Borthwick's side will fancy their chances of sending a message 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)