The English Team Secures Ninth Straight Victory 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 tries after halftime to overcome a resilient Fijian team in their second autumn international.

The victory lengthens Steve Borthwick's side's winning run to nine matches and backs up their triumph over Australia last Saturday.

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 to take the visitors further ahead before Immanuel Feyi-Waboso crossed.

Ellis Genge and Ikanivere then exchanged tries to begin an exciting second half.

Replacements Jamie George and Arundell, who demonstrated his blistering speed, touched down to take the hosts clear.

These tries came around Fijian halfback Simi Kuruvoli dropping the ball when going for the tryline.

England captain Itoje, who also entered as a substitute, secured the last touchdown.

Borthwick's side now face New Zealand this coming weekend in their toughest test theoretically this autumn.

Prior to this match, the English team had claimed victory in eight of their 9 games with the Fijian side – most recently winning a close contest in the last eight of the 2023 World Cup.

Their sole loss came just weeks before the competition in France and was a major turning point under Borthwick.

With the Pacific Islanders on a five-match winning run – their equal best run since 1999 – the fixture was always expected to be tight.

After slick phase play, number eight Chandler Cunningham-South made good ground before the hooker forced his way over for the opening score from short distance, with Ikanivere's try off the back of a driving maul providing a swift reply.

Nicknamed the Flying Fijians, that was clear in defence through monstrous opening period tackles in the center, with number fifteen Smith, deployed as a additional playmaker, in especial picked out.

But it was the vintage Fijian attacking flair that was the standout moment in the opening half as offloads sliced through the English defense for the fly-half to score.

The winger expertly collected a cross-field kick by Fin 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.

The English team pulled away from the Wallabies the previous weekend in the final quarter through the power of their replacements that contained six Lions tourists.

A significantly altered starting XV from the victory over the Australians did grab the following touchdown as Genge went over following a powerful run by Ollie Lawrence, who was returning to the national side after tearing his Achilles versus the Italians in March.

Nonetheless, after a clever line-out move was finished by the Fijian, Borthwick unloaded five of his bench on the 54-minute mark – including Lions players Pollock and Tom Curry.

With the game still up for grabs, Fijian number nine Kuruvoli lost control of the ball when stretching for the tryline to negate substitute George's try.

Breakdown specialist Earl, a try-scorer against the Wallabies, produced a spectacular game-saving stop to maintain breathing room between the teams.

It topped off another outstanding overall performance by Earl, who picked up back-to-back man of the match honors.

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

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

Considering 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)