The English Team Earns Ninth Consecutive Victory Over 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 notched 4 second-half tries to overcome a resilient Fijian team in their second autumn international.

The victory continues the English team's winning run to nine matches and supports their win over the Wallabies the previous weekend.

The home side opened the scoring through Luke Cowan-Dickie before the visitors answered back with scores by Ikanivere and Muntz.

Number ten the Fijian playmaker missed both conversions but nailed a penalty goal to take the visitors further ahead before Feyi-Waboso scored.

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

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

These tries came around Fijian halfback Kuruvoli fumbling the ball when attempting to score.

Skipper Maro Itoje, who also entered as a substitute, secured the last touchdown.

The English team now face the All Blacks this coming weekend in their toughest test theoretically this fall.

Before this match, the English team had claimed victory in 8 of their 9 games with the Fijian side – most recently winning 30-24 in the quarter-finals of the last global tournament.

Their sole loss came two months prior the competition in France and was a major turning point under Borthwick.

With Fiji on a five-game streak – their joint longest run since the late nineties – the game was always likely to be tight.

Following slick phase play, back rower Cunningham-South made good ground before the hooker barged over for the first try from short distance, with the Fijian's score off the back of a driving maul adding a swift reply.

Nicknamed the flying Fijians, that was clear in defence through monstrous opening period tackles in the center, with number fifteen Smith, used 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 score.

The winger expertly collected a kick across the field by 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 included six Lions tourists.

A much-changed starting XV from the victory over the Australians did score the next try as the prop went over following a powerful run by Ollie Lawrence, who was making his international comeback after tearing his Achilles against Italy in spring.

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

With the game still in the balance, Fiji scrum-half Kuruvoli fumbled of the ball when stretching for the goal line to cancel out substitute George's try.

Breakdown specialist Ben Earl, who scored versus the Wallabies, produced a stunning try-saving tackle to maintain breathing room between the sides.

It topped off another all-round impressive display by the flanker, who received consecutive player-of-the-match awards.

Arundell's pace to chase down a kick through demonstrated exactly why England's bench is so influential.

It is full of top players and talent, which has aided in victories in the final quarter that were squandered against the Wallabies and New Zealand last autumn.

Given Scotland pushed the All Blacks hard, the English team will fancy their chances of making a big statement this weekend.

Should they win, the bench 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)