England Secures Ninth Straight Victory Against Physical Fiji

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 notched four second-half tries to defeat a physical Fijian team in their latest fall test match.

The victory continues Steve Borthwick's side's undefeated streak to nine games and supports their triumph over the Wallabies last Saturday.

England got on the board first through hooker Cowan-Dickie before the visitors answered back with scores by Ikanivere and Caleb Muntz.

Number ten Muntz missed both conversions but nailed a penalty goal to take the visitors further clear before Immanuel Feyi-Waboso scored.

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

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

Those scores came around Fiji scrum-half Simi Kuruvoli dropping the ball when going for the tryline.

Skipper Itoje, who also came off the bench, grabbed the last touchdown.

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

Prior to this encounter, England had claimed victory in eight of their nine games with Fiji – most recently winning 30-24 in the quarter-finals of the last global tournament.

That one defeat came just weeks before the tournament in France and was a major turning point under Borthwick.

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

After smooth attacking phases, number eight Chandler Cunningham-South gained valuable meters before the hooker barged over for the opening score from close range, with the Fijian's score off the back of a maul providing a quick response.

Known as the Flying Fijians, that was evident in defence through powerful opening period tackles in the center, with full-back Smith, deployed as a additional playmaker, in especial targeted.

But it was the vintage attacking Fijian flare that was the standout moment in the opening half as passes out of the tackle sliced through the English defense for Muntz to touch down.

The winger sharply finished a cross-field kick by Smith to take the hosts into the lead after he had been illegally challenged in the air by Ravutaumada, who was awarded a yellow card following a bunker review.

England broke clear from Australia the previous weekend in the last twenty minutes through the impact of their replacements that included multiple British and Irish Lions.

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

Nonetheless, after a smart line-out move was finished by Ikanivere, the coach introduced five of his bench on the 54-minute mark – including Lions players Henry Pollock and Curry.

With the game still in the balance, Fijian number nine Kuruvoli fumbled of the ball when stretching for the tryline to cancel out substitute the hooker's score.

Breakdown specialist Earl, who scored against the Wallabies, produced a spectacular game-saving stop to keep breathing room between the teams.

It capped another outstanding overall display by the flanker, who picked up back-to-back man of the match honors.

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

It is packed with top players and talent, which has aided in victories in the closing stages that were lost against the Wallabies and New Zealand the previous fall.

Given the Scottish side pushed the All Blacks hard, Borthwick's side will fancy their chances of making a big statement next week.

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)