The English Team Claims Ninth Consecutive Win Over Tough 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 notched four second-half tries to defeat a resilient Fijian team in their latest fall test match.

This win lengthens Steve Borthwick's side's winning run to nine games and backs up their win over Australia last Saturday.

England got on the board first through Luke Cowan-Dickie before Fiji responded with tries by Ikanivere and Caleb Muntz.

Fly-half Muntz failed to convert either try but slotted a penalty goal to take the visitors further clear before Immanuel Feyi-Waboso crossed.

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

Replacements George and Henry Arundell, who displayed his scintillating pace, touched down to take the hosts clear.

Those scores came around Fiji scrum-half Simi Kuruvoli dropping the ball when attempting to score.

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

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

Before this encounter, the English team had won 8 of their nine matches with Fiji – most recently winning 30-24 in the quarter-finals of the 2023 World Cup.

Their sole loss came two months prior the competition in France and was a significant shift under the head coach.

With Fiji on a five-match winning run – their equal best run since 1999 – the fixture was always likely to be competitive.

Following smooth attacking phases, number eight Chandler Cunningham-South made good ground before the hooker barged over for the opening score from short distance, with Ikanivere's try off the back of a driving maul providing a swift reply.

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

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

Feyi-Waboso sharply finished a cross-field kick by Smith to take England into the lead after he had been dangerously taken out in the air by Selestino Ravutaumada, who was awarded a sin-binning following a bunker review.

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

A much-changed starting XV 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 versus the Italians in spring.

However, after a smart line-out move was finished by Ikanivere, the coach introduced five of his bench on the 54-minute mark – featuring Lions players Pollock and Tom Curry.

With the game still in the balance, Fijian number nine the halfback fumbled of the ball when stretching for the goal line to cancel out replacement George's try.

Breakdown specialist Ben Earl, a try-scorer against Australia, produced a stunning game-saving stop to maintain a narrow lead between the sides.

It capped another outstanding overall display by Earl, who picked up back-to-back man of the match honors.

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

It is packed with stars and quality, which has helped secure wins in the closing stages that were squandered against Australia and the All Blacks the previous fall.

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

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)