England Earns Ninth Consecutive Victory Against Physical Fiji

Autumn International 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 four second-half tries to overcome a tough Fiji side in their latest fall test match.

The victory continues the English team's winning run to nine games and backs up their triumph over Australia the previous weekend.

England opened the scoring through hooker Cowan-Dickie before Fiji answered back with scores by Tevita Ikanivere and Caleb Muntz.

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

Ellis Genge and Ikanivere then traded scores to begin an thrilling final forty minutes.

Replacements Jamie George and Arundell, who demonstrated his scintillating pace, touched down to take the English side into a comfortable lead.

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

Skipper Maro Itoje, who also entered as a substitute, secured the last touchdown.

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

Before this encounter, England had claimed victory in 8 of their 9 games with Fiji – most lately winning 30-24 in the quarter-finals of the 2023 World Cup.

That one defeat 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 streak since the late nineties – the game was always expected to be competitive.

After slick phase play, number eight Chandler Cunningham-South gained valuable meters before the hooker forced his way over for the opening score from close range, with Ikanivere's try off the back of a driving maul adding a swift reply.

Known as the Flying Fijians, that was evident in defense through powerful opening period tackles in the center, with number fifteen Smith, deployed as a additional playmaker, in particular picked out.

But it was the classic attacking Fijian flare 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 touch down.

Feyi-Waboso expertly collected a cross-field kick by Smith to take the hosts into the lead after he had been illegally challenged in the air by Selestino Ravutaumada, who was given a sin-binning following a video review.

England pulled away from the Wallabies the previous weekend in the final quarter through the power of their bench that included six British and Irish Lions.

A significantly altered starting lineup from the win over the Wallabies did grab the next try as Genge crossed following a powerful run by Lawrence, who was making his international comeback after tearing his Achilles against the Italians in March.

However, after a clever line-out move was finished by the Fijian, the coach unloaded five of his bench on the 54-minute mark – featuring Lions tourists Henry Pollock and Curry.

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

Flanker Ben Earl, who scored versus the Wallabies, produced a stunning try-saving tackle to keep breathing room between the sides.

It topped off another all-round impressive display by the flanker, who received back-to-back player-of-the-match awards.

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

It is full of top players and talent, which has helped secure victories in the final quarter that were squandered against Australia and the All Blacks last autumn.

Given Scotland pushed the All Blacks hard, Borthwick's side will feel confident 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)