The English Team 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 racked up four second-half tries to defeat a tough Fijian team in their latest autumn international.

This win extends Steve Borthwick's side's undefeated streak to nine matches and follows up their triumph over the Wallabies last Saturday.

England got on the board first through hooker Cowan-Dickie before Fiji responded with scores by Ikanivere and Caleb Muntz.

Fly-half the Fijian playmaker missed both conversions but nailed a penalty to take the Fijians further ahead before Feyi-Waboso crossed.

Prop Genge and the Fijian hooker then exchanged tries to begin an entertaining final forty minutes.

Substitutes Jamie George and Arundell, who displayed his scintillating pace, finished off tries to take the English side clear.

Those scores came either side of Fiji scrum-half Simi Kuruvoli fumbling the ball when attempting to score.

England captain Itoje, who also entered as a substitute, grabbed the final try.

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

Before this meeting, England had claimed victory in 8 of their 9 matches with Fiji – most recently winning a close contest in the last eight of the 2023 World Cup.

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

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

After smooth attacking phases, back rower Cunningham-South gained valuable meters before Cowan-Dickie barged over for the opening score from short distance, with the Fijian's score off the back of a maul providing a swift reply.

Known as the Flying Fijians, that was clear in defence through monstrous first-half midfield hits, with number fifteen Smith, deployed as a additional playmaker, in especial targeted.

But it was the vintage attacking Fijian flare that was the standout moment in the first forty as passes out of the tackle 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 into the lead after he had been illegally challenged in the air by Selestino Ravutaumada, who was awarded a yellow card following a video review.

England broke clear from Australia last Saturday in the last twenty minutes through the strength of their replacements that included multiple Lions tourists.

A much-changed starting XV from the victory over the Australians did grab the following touchdown as Genge went over following a powerful run by Lawrence, who was making his international comeback after suffering his Achilles versus Italy in spring.

However, after a clever line-out move was completed by the Fijian, Borthwick introduced five of his substitutes on the 54-minute mark – including Lions tourists Henry Pollock and Tom Curry.

With the match still in the balance, Fijian number nine Kuruvoli fumbled of the ball when reaching for the goal line to negate substitute the hooker's score.

Breakdown specialist Ben Earl, a try-scorer against Australia, produced a spectacular game-saving stop to maintain a narrow lead between the sides.

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

Arundell's pace to chase down a grubber kick showcased 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 lost against Australia and the All Blacks last autumn.

Considering the Scottish side pushed the All Blacks hard, the English team will feel confident of sending a message next week.

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)