England Earns 9th Straight Win Over Tough Fijian Side

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

The English squad scored 4 second-half tries to defeat a tough Fiji side in their second fall test match.

This win continues Steve Borthwick's side's undefeated streak to nine matches and backs up their win over Australia the previous weekend.

England got on the board first through hooker Cowan-Dickie before the visitors responded with tries by Tevita Ikanivere and Muntz.

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

Prop Genge and the Fijian hooker then exchanged tries to ignite an thrilling second half.

Replacements George and Henry Arundell, who demonstrated his scintillating pace, finished off tries to take the English side into a comfortable lead.

Those scores came around Fijian halfback Simi Kuruvoli spilling the ball when going for the tryline.

Skipper Itoje, who also entered as a substitute, grabbed the final try.

Borthwick's side now meet the All Blacks this coming weekend in their toughest test on paper this autumn.

Prior to this encounter, the English team had won eight of their nine matches with the Fijian side – most recently taking 30-24 in the quarter-finals of the 2023 World Cup.

That one defeat came two months prior the competition in Europe and was a major turning point under the head coach.

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

Following smooth attacking phases, number eight Chandler Cunningham-South gained valuable meters before the hooker forced his way over for the first try from short distance, with Ikanivere's try off the back of a driving maul adding a quick response.

Nicknamed the flying Fijians, that was evident in defense through monstrous opening period tackles in the center, with number fifteen Smith, deployed as a second playmaker, in especial picked out.

But it was the vintage attacking Fijian flare that was the highlight in the opening half as passes out of the tackle cut England's defence open for the fly-half to touch down.

Feyi-Waboso sharply finished a cross-field kick by Smith to take the hosts ahead after he had been illegally challenged in the air by Ravutaumada, who was awarded a sin-binning following a video review.

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

A much-changed starting lineup from the victory over the Wallabies did score the next try as the prop went over following a strong carry by Lawrence, who was making his international comeback after tearing his Achilles tendon versus the Italians in spring.

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

With the match still up for grabs, Fiji scrum-half Kuruvoli fumbled of the ball when stretching for the goal line to negate replacement the hooker's score.

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

It topped off another all-round impressive display by Earl, who received back-to-back player-of-the-match awards.

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

It is full of top players and talent, which has aided in victories in the closing stages that were lost versus Australia and the All Blacks last autumn.

Considering the Scottish side pushed the All Blacks hard, Borthwick's side will fancy their chances 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)