England Secures Ninth Consecutive Victory Over 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 resilient Fijian team in their latest autumn international.

The victory extends the English team's winning run to nine games and follows up their win over Australia last Saturday.

The home side got on the board first through Luke Cowan-Dickie before Fiji responded with scores by Tevita Ikanivere and Muntz.

Number ten the Fijian playmaker failed to convert either try but kicked a penalty to take the Fijians further clear before Feyi-Waboso scored.

Ellis Genge and Ikanivere then traded scores to ignite an exciting final forty minutes.

Replacements George and Arundell, who demonstrated his blistering speed, touched down to take the hosts clear.

Those scores came either side of Fijian halfback Kuruvoli spilling the ball when going for the tryline.

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

Borthwick's side now meet the All Blacks this coming weekend in their toughest test on paper this fall.

Before this match, England had claimed victory in 8 of their 9 matches with the Fijian side – most lately winning 30-24 in the quarter-finals of the last global tournament.

Their sole loss came just weeks before the tournament in Europe and was a major turning point under the head coach.

With Fiji on a five-match winning run – their joint longest run since the late nineties – the game was always expected to be tight.

Following smooth attacking phases, back rower Chandler Cunningham-South made good ground before the hooker forced his way over for the opening score from short distance, with the Fijian's score off the back of a driving maul providing a swift reply.

Known as the Flying Fijians, that was clear in defense through monstrous first-half midfield hits, with full-back Marcus Smith, deployed as a second playmaker, in especial picked out.

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

Feyi-Waboso sharply finished a kick across the field by Fin Smith to take the hosts ahead after he had been dangerously taken out in the air by Ravutaumada, who was given a sin-binning following a bunker review.

The English team broke clear from the Wallabies the previous weekend in the final quarter through the strength of their bench that contained six British and Irish Lions.

A much-changed starting lineup from the victory over the Australians did score the next try as the prop went over following a powerful run by Ollie Lawrence, who was returning to the national side after tearing his Achilles tendon versus Italy in spring.

However, after a clever set piece was completed by Ikanivere, the coach introduced five of his bench on the 54th minute – featuring Lions players Henry Pollock and Tom Curry.

With the match still in the balance, Fiji scrum-half the halfback lost control of the ball when reaching for the tryline to negate substitute the hooker's score.

Breakdown specialist Ben Earl, a try-scorer against Australia, produced a spectacular game-saving stop to keep breathing room between the teams.

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

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

It is full of top players and talent, which has helped secure victories in the closing stages that were squandered against the Wallabies and New Zealand last autumn.

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

If successful, the substitutes 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)