England Earns Ninth Consecutive Win Over Tough Fiji

Quilter Nations 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 four tries after halftime to overcome a physical Fiji side in their latest fall test match.

This win extends the English team's undefeated streak to nine matches and follows up their triumph over Australia last Saturday.

England got on the board first through hooker Cowan-Dickie before the visitors answered back with scores by Ikanivere and Muntz.

Fly-half the Fijian playmaker failed to convert either try but slotted a penalty goal to take the Fijians further ahead before Immanuel Feyi-Waboso scored.

Prop Genge and the Fijian hooker then exchanged tries to spark an exciting final forty minutes.

Replacements Jamie George and Henry Arundell, who showed his scintillating pace, finished off tries to take the English side clear.

These tries came around Fiji scrum-half Simi Kuruvoli spilling the ball when going for the tryline.

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

Borthwick's side now face New Zealand this coming weekend in their toughest test on paper this autumn.

Prior to this match, the English team had won 8 of their nine games with Fiji – most recently taking 30-24 in the last eight of the last global tournament.

That one defeat came two months prior the tournament in France and was a major turning point under Borthwick.

With Fiji on a five-game streak – their joint longest streak since 1999 – the fixture was always likely to be hard-fought.

After slick phase play, back rower Chandler Cunningham-South gained valuable meters before Cowan-Dickie forced his way over for the opening score from close range, with the Fijian's score off the back of a driving maul adding a quick response.

Nicknamed the Flying Fijians, that was evident in defence through powerful first-half midfield hits, with number fifteen Marcus Smith, deployed as a additional playmaker, in particular picked out.

But it was the classic attacking Fijian flare that was the standout moment in the first forty as offloads cut England's defence open for the fly-half to score.

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

England pulled away from Australia the previous weekend in the last twenty minutes through the strength of their replacements that included multiple British and Irish Lions.

A much-changed starting XV from the victory over the Wallabies did grab the following touchdown as Genge went over following a strong carry by Ollie Lawrence, who was making his international comeback after suffering his Achilles tendon versus Italy in March.

Nonetheless, after a smart line-out move was finished by the Fijian, Borthwick introduced five of his bench on the 54-minute mark – including Lions tourists Pollock and Tom Curry.

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

Breakdown specialist Earl, who scored against the Wallabies, produced a stunning game-saving stop to keep breathing room between the sides.

It capped another outstanding overall display by the flanker, who received consecutive man of the match honors.

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

It is packed with stars and talent, which has helped secure wins in the closing stages that were squandered versus Australia and the All Blacks the previous fall.

Considering the Scottish side ran New Zealand close, the English team will fancy their chances of making a big statement this weekend.

Should they win, the substitutes 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)