England Claims 9th Straight 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 overcome a tough Fijian team in their latest fall test match.

This win continues the English team's winning run to nine games and backs up their win over Australia the previous weekend.

England opened the scoring through Luke Cowan-Dickie before the visitors answered back with scores by Ikanivere and Muntz.

Fly-half Muntz missed both conversions but kicked a penalty goal to take the visitors further clear before Feyi-Waboso scored.

Ellis Genge and the Fijian hooker then traded scores to ignite an exciting second half.

Replacements George and Henry Arundell, who demonstrated his blistering speed, touched down to take the hosts into a comfortable lead.

Those scores came around Fijian halfback Simi Kuruvoli dropping the ball when attempting to score.

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

The English team now face the All Blacks next Saturday in their biggest challenge on paper this fall.

Prior to this match, the English team had won eight of their nine games with the Fijian side – most recently taking 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 major turning point under Borthwick.

With the Pacific Islanders on a five-game streak – their joint longest run since 1999 – the fixture was always expected to be competitive.

After slick phase play, number eight Cunningham-South gained valuable meters before the hooker 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 monstrous opening period tackles in the center, with full-back Marcus Smith, deployed as a additional playmaker, in especial picked out.

But it was the vintage attacking Fijian flare that was the standout moment in the first forty as offloads cut England's defence open for the fly-half to touch down.

Feyi-Waboso sharply finished a cross-field kick by Fin Smith to take the hosts ahead after he had been dangerously taken out in the air by Ravutaumada, who was given a yellow card following a video review.

England broke clear from the Wallabies the previous weekend in the final quarter through the impact of their bench that contained multiple Lions tourists.

A significantly altered starting lineup from the win over the Wallabies did score the next try as Genge went over following a powerful run by Ollie Lawrence, who was making his international comeback after suffering his Achilles tendon against Italy in March.

However, after a smart line-out move was finished by the Fijian, the coach introduced several of his bench on the 54-minute mark – featuring Lions tourists Pollock and Curry.

With the game still in the balance, Fijian number nine the halfback fumbled of the ball when stretching for the goal line to negate replacement the hooker's score.

Flanker Earl, a try-scorer against the Wallabies, produced a stunning try-saving tackle to maintain breathing room between the sides.

It capped another outstanding overall display by the flanker, who received consecutive player-of-the-match awards.

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

It is full of top players and talent, which has aided in wins in the closing stages that were lost versus the Wallabies and New Zealand the previous fall.

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

If successful, the substitutes 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)