The English Team Secures 9th Consecutive Win Over 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

England scored 4 second-half tries to overcome a physical Fiji side in their latest fall test match.

The victory lengthens Steve Borthwick's side's undefeated streak to nine matches and backs up their win over Australia last Saturday.

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

Fly-half Muntz missed both conversions but kicked a penalty to take the visitors further clear before Feyi-Waboso crossed.

Ellis Genge and the Fijian hooker then exchanged tries to spark an entertaining final forty minutes.

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

Those scores came around Fijian halfback Simi Kuruvoli spilling the ball when going for the tryline.

England captain Itoje, who also came off the bench, secured the last touchdown.

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

Before this meeting, England had claimed victory in eight of their 9 matches with the Fijian side – most recently taking 30-24 in the quarter-finals of the last global tournament.

That one defeat came just weeks before the tournament in Europe and was a significant shift under the head coach.

With Fiji on a five-match winning run – their joint longest run since 1999 – the game was always expected to be hard-fought.

After slick phase play, back rower Cunningham-South gained valuable meters before Cowan-Dickie barged over for the opening score from close range, with Ikanivere's try off the back of a driving maul providing a swift reply.

Nicknamed the Flying Fijians, that was clear in defense through monstrous opening period midfield hits, with full-back Smith, deployed as a additional playmaker, in particular picked out.

But it was the classic Fijian attacking flair that was the standout moment in the opening half as passes out of the tackle cut England's defence open for the fly-half to touch down.

The winger 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 Ravutaumada, who was given a yellow card following a bunker review.

The English team pulled away from the Wallabies last Saturday in the final quarter through the strength of their bench that contained six Lions tourists.

A much-changed starting XV from the victory over the Wallabies did grab the following touchdown as Genge went over following a powerful run by Ollie Lawrence, who was returning to the national side after tearing his Achilles tendon versus the Italians in March.

However, after a smart set piece was completed by the Fijian, the coach unloaded several of his bench on the 54th minute – featuring Lions tourists Pollock and Tom Curry.

With the match still up for grabs, Fiji scrum-half the halfback fumbled of the ball when stretching for the tryline to negate substitute George's try.

Flanker Earl, a try-scorer versus the Wallabies, produced a stunning try-saving tackle to maintain a narrow lead between the teams.

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

Arundell's pace to chase down a grubber kick demonstrated exactly why the English replacements is so influential.

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

Considering Scotland ran New Zealand close, Borthwick's side will fancy their chances of making a big statement this weekend.

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)