England Earns Ninth Straight Win 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 notched four second-half tries to defeat a physical Fijian team in their second autumn international.

The victory lengthens the English team's undefeated streak to nine games and follows up their win over the Wallabies last Saturday.

England opened the scoring through hooker Cowan-Dickie before the visitors responded with scores by Ikanivere and Caleb Muntz.

Number ten Muntz missed both conversions but nailed a penalty goal to take the visitors further clear before Immanuel Feyi-Waboso scored.

Prop Genge and the Fijian hooker then traded scores to begin an entertaining second half.

Replacements Jamie George and Henry Arundell, who demonstrated his blistering speed, finished off tries to take the English side into a comfortable lead.

Those scores came either side of Fiji scrum-half Kuruvoli dropping the ball when attempting to score.

Skipper Maro Itoje, who also came off the bench, scored the final try.

The English team now meet New Zealand this coming weekend in their toughest test on paper this autumn.

Prior to this match, the English team had won eight of their 9 matches with Fiji – most lately taking a close contest in the last eight of the last global tournament.

Their sole loss came two months prior the tournament in France and was a major turning point under the head coach.

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

Following smooth attacking phases, number eight Chandler 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 adding a quick response.

Known as the flying Fijians, that was evident in defence through huge first-half midfield hits, with full-back Smith, used as a additional playmaker, in especial targeted.

But it was the vintage Fijian attacking flair that was the standout moment in the first forty as passes out of the tackle sliced through the English defense for Muntz to score.

Feyi-Waboso sharply finished 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 yellow card following a video review.

The English team pulled away from Australia last Saturday in the last twenty minutes through the strength of their bench that included six Lions tourists.

A significantly altered starting lineup from the victory over the Wallabies did grab the next try as Genge went over following a powerful run by Ollie Lawrence, who was making his international comeback after tearing his Achilles tendon versus the Italians in spring.

Nonetheless, after a clever set piece was completed by the Fijian, the coach unloaded five of his bench on the 54th minute – featuring Lions tourists Pollock and Curry.

With the match still in the balance, Fijian number nine Kuruvoli lost control of the ball when reaching for the tryline to cancel out substitute George's try.

Breakdown specialist Earl, a try-scorer versus the Wallabies, produced a stunning game-saving stop to maintain a narrow lead between the teams.

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

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

It is packed with top players and quality, which has helped secure wins in the closing stages that were squandered against the Wallabies and New Zealand the previous fall.

Given the Scottish side pushed the All Blacks hard, Borthwick's side will fancy their chances of sending a message this weekend.

Should they win, the bench 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)