England Earns 9th Consecutive Win Against Physical 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 racked up 4 second-half tries to defeat a tough Fiji side in their second fall test match.

The victory lengthens Steve Borthwick's side's winning run to nine games and supports their triumph over the Wallabies last Saturday.

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

Number ten Muntz missed both conversions but kicked a penalty to take the Fijians further ahead before Feyi-Waboso scored.

Ellis Genge and the Fijian hooker then exchanged tries to ignite an exciting final forty minutes.

Replacements George and Henry Arundell, who demonstrated his scintillating pace, finished off tries to take the English side clear.

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

England captain Itoje, who also came off the bench, scored the last touchdown.

Borthwick's side now meet New Zealand next Saturday in their biggest challenge theoretically this fall.

Before this match, England had won eight of their 9 matches with Fiji – most lately taking a close contest in the quarter-finals of the last global tournament.

That one defeat came two months prior the competition in France and was a significant shift under Borthwick.

With the Pacific Islanders on a five-match winning run – their joint longest streak since 1999 – the game was always expected to be hard-fought.

After smooth attacking phases, back rower Chandler 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 driving maul providing a swift reply.

Nicknamed the flying Fijians, that was clear in defense through monstrous opening period tackles in the center, with number fifteen Marcus Smith, deployed as a second playmaker, in especial targeted.

But it was the classic Fijian attacking flair that was the standout moment in the first forty as passes out of the tackle cut England's defence open for the fly-half to score.

The winger sharply finished a cross-field kick by Smith to take England ahead after he had been illegally challenged in the air by Ravutaumada, who was given a sin-binning following a bunker review.

The English team pulled away from the Wallabies the previous weekend in the last twenty minutes through the impact of their bench that contained multiple Lions tourists.

A much-changed starting XV from the win over the Australians did grab the following touchdown as Genge went over following a strong carry by Ollie Lawrence, who was returning to the national side after suffering his Achilles against the Italians in March.

Nonetheless, after a smart line-out move was completed by the Fijian, Borthwick introduced five of his substitutes on the 54th minute – featuring Lions tourists Pollock and Tom Curry.

With the match still in the balance, Fiji scrum-half the halfback fumbled of the ball when stretching for the tryline to cancel out substitute the hooker's score.

Breakdown specialist Earl, a try-scorer versus Australia, produced a spectacular game-saving stop to keep a narrow lead between the sides.

It topped off another all-round impressive display by the flanker, who picked up back-to-back man of the match honors.

Arundell's pace to chase down a grubber kick demonstrated exactly why the English replacements is so impactful.

It is full of stars and talent, which has aided in wins in the final quarter that were lost against Australia and the All Blacks the previous fall.

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

If successful, the bench will probably 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)