England Secures 9th Straight Victory Against Tough Fijian Side

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 4 tries after halftime to defeat a physical Fiji side in their latest autumn international.

The victory extends Steve Borthwick's side's winning run to nine games and supports their win over Australia last Saturday.

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

Number ten the Fijian playmaker failed to convert either try but slotted a penalty goal to take the visitors further clear before Immanuel Feyi-Waboso scored.

Ellis Genge and Ikanivere then traded scores to begin an entertaining final forty minutes.

Substitutes George and Henry Arundell, who demonstrated his scintillating pace, touched down to take the hosts into a comfortable lead.

Those scores came either side of Fijian halfback Kuruvoli spilling the ball when attempting to score.

Skipper Itoje, who also entered as a substitute, secured the final try.

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

Before this match, the English team had claimed victory in 8 of their nine games with the Fijian side – most recently winning a close contest in the quarter-finals of the 2023 World Cup.

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

With Fiji on a five-match winning run – their joint longest streak since 1999 – the game was always likely to be competitive.

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

Known as the flying Fijians, that was clear in defense through powerful first-half midfield hits, with number fifteen Marcus Smith, deployed as a additional playmaker, in particular targeted.

But it was the vintage Fijian attacking flair that was the standout moment in the first forty as offloads sliced through the English defense for Muntz to touch down.

Feyi-Waboso sharply finished a cross-field kick by Smith to take England ahead after he had been dangerously taken out in the air by Ravutaumada, who was given a yellow card following a video review.

The English team pulled away from Australia the previous weekend in the final quarter through the strength of their replacements that included multiple British and Irish Lions.

A much-changed starting XV from the victory over the Australians did grab the following touchdown as Genge crossed following a powerful run by Lawrence, who was returning to the national side after suffering his Achilles tendon versus Italy in spring.

Nonetheless, after a smart set piece was finished by the Fijian, Borthwick unloaded several of his bench on the 54th minute – including Lions tourists Henry Pollock and Curry.

With the match still up for grabs, Fijian number nine Kuruvoli fumbled of the ball when stretching for the goal line to cancel out replacement the hooker's score.

Flanker Ben Earl, a try-scorer against Australia, produced a spectacular try-saving tackle to maintain a narrow lead between the sides.

It topped off another all-round impressive performance by Earl, who received back-to-back player-of-the-match awards.

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

It is full of stars and quality, which has helped secure victories in the final quarter that were squandered versus Australia and the All Blacks last autumn.

Considering 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 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)