The English Team Earns 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

England scored four tries after halftime to beat a tough Fijian team in their latest fall test match.

This win lengthens the English team's undefeated streak to nine matches and supports their triumph over the Wallabies the previous weekend.

The home side opened the scoring through Luke Cowan-Dickie before the visitors answered back with tries by Tevita Ikanivere and Muntz.

Number ten the Fijian playmaker missed both conversions but kicked a penalty goal to take the Fijians further clear before Immanuel Feyi-Waboso scored.

Prop Genge and Ikanivere then traded scores to spark an exciting final forty minutes.

Replacements Jamie George and Henry Arundell, who showed his blistering speed, touched down to take the English side clear.

These tries came either side of Fiji scrum-half Simi Kuruvoli fumbling the ball when attempting to score.

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

The English team now play the All Blacks this coming weekend in their toughest test on paper this autumn.

Prior to this match, the English team had claimed victory in 8 of their 9 games with Fiji – most recently taking a close contest in the last eight of the last global tournament.

Their sole loss came two months prior the tournament in Europe and was a significant shift under Borthwick.

With Fiji on a five-match winning run – their equal best run since the late nineties – the fixture was always likely to be tight.

After slick phase play, number eight Cunningham-South gained valuable meters before the hooker barged over for the opening score from short distance, with Ikanivere's try off the back of a maul providing a swift reply.

Nicknamed the flying Fijians, that was evident in defence through huge first-half tackles in the center, with full-back Smith, used as a second playmaker, in especial picked out.

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

The winger expertly collected a kick across the field by Smith to take England ahead after he had been illegally challenged in the air by Selestino Ravutaumada, who was given a yellow card following a video review.

England broke clear from the Wallabies last Saturday in the last twenty minutes through the power of their bench that included six British and Irish Lions.

A much-changed starting lineup from the win over the Australians did grab the following touchdown as Genge crossed following a strong carry by Ollie Lawrence, who was making his international comeback after suffering his Achilles versus the Italians in March.

However, after a clever line-out move was finished by the Fijian, Borthwick introduced several of his substitutes on the 54-minute mark – featuring Lions players Henry Pollock and Curry.

With the match still in the balance, Fijian number nine the halfback lost control of the ball when reaching for the tryline to cancel out substitute the hooker's score.

Breakdown specialist Earl, who scored against Australia, produced a spectacular game-saving stop to keep a narrow lead between the sides.

It capped another all-round impressive display by Earl, who picked up consecutive player-of-the-match awards.

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

It is full of stars and quality, which has helped secure wins in the final quarter that were squandered against Australia and the All Blacks last autumn.

Considering Scotland ran New Zealand close, Borthwick's side will fancy their chances of sending a message next week.

Should they win, the substitutes will likely play another key factor.

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)