The English Team Claims 9th Consecutive 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 overcome a resilient Fijian team in their latest fall test match.

The victory extends the English team's undefeated streak to nine matches and follows up their triumph over the Wallabies the previous weekend.

England got on the board first through Luke Cowan-Dickie before Fiji responded with scores by Tevita Ikanivere and Muntz.

Fly-half the Fijian playmaker missed both conversions but slotted a penalty to take the visitors further clear before Feyi-Waboso crossed.

Prop Genge and the Fijian hooker then traded scores to ignite an exciting final forty minutes.

Substitutes Jamie George and Arundell, who displayed his scintillating pace, finished off tries to take the hosts into a comfortable lead.

Those scores came either side of Fiji scrum-half Kuruvoli dropping the ball when going for the tryline.

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

The English team now face New Zealand this coming weekend in their toughest test theoretically this autumn.

Before this meeting, the English team had claimed victory in 8 of their nine games with the Fijian side – most lately winning 30-24 in the quarter-finals of the 2023 World Cup.

Their sole loss came two months prior the competition in France and was a major turning point under Borthwick.

With Fiji on a five-game streak – their equal best run since 1999 – the game was always likely to be competitive.

Following smooth attacking phases, back rower Cunningham-South gained valuable meters before the hooker barged over for the first try from short distance, with Ikanivere's try off the back of a maul providing a quick response.

Known as the flying Fijians, that was clear in defence through monstrous first-half tackles in the center, with full-back Smith, used as a additional playmaker, in especial targeted.

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

Feyi-Waboso sharply finished a kick across the field by Smith to take England into the lead after he had been dangerously taken out in the air by Selestino Ravutaumada, who was awarded a yellow card following a video review.

The English team broke clear from Australia the previous weekend in the final quarter through the strength of their bench that contained six British and Irish Lions.

A much-changed starting lineup from the win over the Wallabies did score the following touchdown as Genge went over following a powerful run by Lawrence, who was making his international comeback after suffering his Achilles versus Italy in spring.

Nonetheless, after a smart set piece was finished by Ikanivere, Borthwick unloaded several of his substitutes on the 54-minute mark – including Lions players Pollock and Curry.

With the game still up for grabs, Fiji scrum-half Kuruvoli lost control of the ball when reaching for the tryline to negate replacement the hooker's score.

Breakdown specialist Ben Earl, a try-scorer versus Australia, produced a stunning game-saving stop to keep breathing room between the sides.

It capped another all-round impressive display by Earl, who received consecutive man of the match honors.

The substitute's speed to race on to a grubber kick demonstrated exactly why the English replacements is so impactful.

It is packed with stars and talent, which has helped secure victories in the final quarter that were squandered against Australia and the All Blacks the previous fall.

Given Scotland ran New Zealand close, Borthwick's side will fancy their chances of sending a message this weekend.

Should they win, 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)