The English Team Claims Ninth Consecutive Victory Over Physical 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 racked up four second-half tries to beat a physical Fijian team in their second fall test match.

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

England opened the scoring through hooker Cowan-Dickie before the visitors answered back with tries by Ikanivere and Caleb Muntz.

Fly-half the Fijian playmaker failed to convert either try but nailed a penalty to take the Fijians further clear before Feyi-Waboso crossed.

Ellis Genge and Ikanivere then exchanged tries to begin an thrilling final forty minutes.

Replacements Jamie George and Arundell, who showed his scintillating pace, touched down to take the hosts into a comfortable lead.

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

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

The English team now face New Zealand next Saturday in their toughest test theoretically this fall.

Before this meeting, England had won eight of their 9 matches with the Fijian side – most recently taking 30-24 in the last eight of the 2023 World Cup.

That one defeat came two months prior the competition in France and was a significant shift under the head coach.

With the Pacific Islanders on a five-game streak – their joint longest run since the late nineties – the game was always likely to be hard-fought.

After slick phase play, back rower Chandler Cunningham-South made good ground before Cowan-Dickie forced his way over for the first try from short distance, with Ikanivere's try off the back of a driving maul providing a quick response.

Nicknamed the Flying Fijians, that was clear in defense through monstrous first-half midfield hits, with full-back Smith, used as a additional playmaker, in especial picked out.

But it was the vintage Fijian attacking flair that was the standout moment in the opening half as passes out of the tackle cut England's defence open for Muntz to score.

Feyi-Waboso expertly collected a cross-field kick by Smith to take the hosts ahead after he had been illegally challenged in the air by Selestino Ravutaumada, who was given a sin-binning following a video review.

England broke clear from Australia the previous weekend in the last twenty minutes through the power of their bench that included multiple British and Irish Lions.

A much-changed starting XV from the win over the Wallabies did score the next try as the prop 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 line-out move was completed by Ikanivere, the coach introduced five of his substitutes on the 54th minute – featuring Lions players Pollock and Tom Curry.

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

Flanker Earl, who scored versus the Wallabies, produced a spectacular game-saving stop to maintain breathing room between the sides.

It capped another outstanding overall display by Earl, who picked up consecutive player-of-the-match awards.

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

It is packed with top players and quality, which has helped secure wins in the final quarter that were lost versus Australia and the All Blacks last autumn.

Considering Scotland ran New Zealand close, the English team 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)