The English Team Claims Ninth Consecutive Victory Over 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 4 tries after halftime to defeat a physical Fijian team in their second autumn international.

The victory extends Steve Borthwick's side's undefeated streak to nine games and backs up their triumph over Australia last Saturday.

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

Fly-half Muntz failed to convert either try but nailed a penalty goal to take the visitors further ahead before Immanuel Feyi-Waboso scored.

Ellis Genge and Ikanivere then exchanged tries to spark an entertaining final forty minutes.

Substitutes Jamie George and Arundell, who showed his scintillating pace, finished off tries to take the hosts into a comfortable lead.

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

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

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

Before this meeting, England had won eight of their 9 matches with Fiji – most lately winning 30-24 in the quarter-finals of the last global tournament.

That one defeat came two months prior the competition in Europe and was a significant shift under the head coach.

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

Following smooth attacking phases, number eight Cunningham-South made good ground before Cowan-Dickie forced his way over for the first try from short distance, with the Fijian's score off the back of a maul providing a swift reply.

Nicknamed the flying Fijians, that was apparent in defence through powerful opening period midfield hits, with full-back Smith, used as a additional playmaker, in especial picked out.

But it was the classic Fijian attacking flair that was the standout moment in the opening half as offloads sliced through the English defense 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 awarded a sin-binning following a bunker review.

The English team pulled away from the Wallabies last Saturday in the last twenty minutes through the strength of their replacements that contained multiple British and Irish Lions.

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

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

With the game still up for grabs, Fiji scrum-half the halfback fumbled of the ball when stretching for the tryline to cancel out replacement George's try.

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 performance by Earl, who received back-to-back man of the match honors.

The substitute's speed to race on to a kick through demonstrated exactly why the English replacements is so influential.

It is full of stars and talent, which has aided in wins in the closing stages that were lost versus Australia and the All Blacks the previous fall.

Considering Scotland pushed the All Blacks hard, the English team will feel confident of sending a message this weekend.

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)