The English Team Claims 9th Consecutive Win 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

England notched four second-half tries to defeat a physical Fiji side in their latest autumn international.

This win lengthens the English team's undefeated streak to nine matches and backs up their win over the Wallabies the previous weekend.

England opened the scoring through Luke Cowan-Dickie before the visitors answered back with scores by Tevita Ikanivere and Muntz.

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

Prop Genge and the Fijian hooker then exchanged tries to begin an thrilling second half.

Substitutes George and Arundell, who demonstrated his blistering speed, finished off tries to take the hosts clear.

These tries came either side of Fijian halfback Simi Kuruvoli spilling the ball when going for the tryline.

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

The English team now face the All Blacks next Saturday in their toughest test theoretically this autumn.

Prior to this encounter, the English team had won eight of their 9 games with Fiji – most lately winning a close contest in the last eight of the 2023 World Cup.

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

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

After slick phase play, number eight Chandler Cunningham-South made good ground before Cowan-Dickie barged over for the first try 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 evident in defense through huge first-half tackles in the center, with full-back Marcus Smith, deployed as a additional playmaker, in particular picked out.

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

Feyi-Waboso expertly collected a kick across the field by Smith to take England ahead after he had been illegally challenged in the air by Selestino Ravutaumada, who was given a yellow card following a video review.

The English team pulled away from the Wallabies last Saturday in the final quarter through the power of their replacements that included six British and Irish Lions.

A significantly altered starting XV from the win over the Wallabies did score the next try as the prop went over following a powerful run by Ollie Lawrence, who was making his international comeback after tearing his Achilles tendon versus Italy in March.

Nonetheless, after a smart set piece was finished by the Fijian, the coach introduced several 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 lost control of the ball when stretching for the tryline to negate replacement the hooker's score.

Flanker Ben Earl, a try-scorer versus Australia, produced a stunning game-saving stop to keep a narrow lead between the sides.

It topped off another outstanding overall performance by the flanker, who picked up consecutive player-of-the-match awards.

The substitute's speed to chase down a kick through showcased exactly why England's bench is so influential.

It is full of stars and talent, which has helped secure wins in the closing stages that were squandered versus the Wallabies and New Zealand the previous fall.

Considering Scotland ran New Zealand close, the English team will feel confident of sending a message next week.

If successful, the bench 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)