England Secures 9th Straight Win Against 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

England scored 4 second-half tries to defeat a tough Fiji side in their second fall test match.

The victory continues the English team's undefeated streak to nine games and backs up their win over Australia last Saturday.

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

Number ten the Fijian playmaker missed both conversions but slotted a penalty to take the Fijians further clear before Feyi-Waboso crossed.

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

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 Fijian halfback Kuruvoli spilling the ball when attempting to score.

Skipper Maro Itoje, who also came off the bench, grabbed the last touchdown.

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

Before this match, the English team had won eight of their nine games with the Fijian side – most lately winning a close contest in the last eight of the last global tournament.

Their sole loss came two months prior the competition in Europe and was a significant shift under Borthwick.

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

Following slick phase play, back rower Cunningham-South made good ground before Cowan-Dickie barged over for the first try from close range, with Ikanivere's try off the back of a maul providing a quick response.

Known as the flying Fijians, that was clear in defence through huge first-half midfield hits, with number fifteen Smith, used as a additional playmaker, in particular picked out.

But it was the vintage Fijian attacking flair that was the highlight in the opening half as passes out of the tackle sliced through the English defense for Muntz to score.

The winger expertly collected a kick across the field by Fin Smith to take England into the lead after he had been illegally challenged in the air by Ravutaumada, who was awarded a sin-binning following a bunker review.

England pulled away from Australia the previous weekend in the final quarter through the impact of their bench that contained six British and Irish Lions.

A significantly altered starting XV from the win over the Wallabies did score the following touchdown as Genge crossed following a powerful run by Ollie Lawrence, who was making his international comeback after tearing his Achilles against the Italians in spring.

Nonetheless, after a clever set piece was finished by Ikanivere, the coach unloaded several of his bench on the 54th minute – including Lions players Pollock and Curry.

With the game still in the balance, Fijian number nine the halfback lost control of the ball when stretching for the goal line to negate replacement the hooker's score.

Breakdown specialist Earl, who scored against the Wallabies, produced a spectacular game-saving stop to maintain a narrow lead between the teams.

It capped another all-round impressive display by the flanker, who received back-to-back player-of-the-match awards.

The substitute's speed to chase down a grubber kick showcased exactly why the English replacements is so influential.

It is packed with top players and talent, which has aided in wins in the closing stages that were lost versus the Wallabies and New Zealand the previous fall.

Given the Scottish side pushed the All Blacks hard, the English team will fancy their chances of sending a message next week.

If successful, the substitutes 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)