The English Team Claims Ninth Straight Victory 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

The English squad racked up 4 tries after halftime to beat a tough Fiji side in their latest autumn international.

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

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

Number ten Muntz failed to convert either try but kicked a penalty goal to take the visitors further ahead before Feyi-Waboso scored.

Prop Genge and Ikanivere then traded scores to ignite an entertaining second half.

Replacements Jamie George and Arundell, who displayed his blistering speed, finished off tries to take the English side clear.

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

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

The English team now play the All Blacks this coming weekend in their biggest challenge theoretically this autumn.

Prior to this encounter, England had won 8 of their nine games with the Fijian side – most recently winning a close contest in the quarter-finals of the 2023 World Cup.

That one defeat came just weeks before the competition in Europe and was a significant shift under Borthwick.

With the Pacific Islanders 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 Cunningham-South made good ground before Cowan-Dickie barged over for the opening score from close range, with Ikanivere's try off the back of a driving maul adding a quick response.

Known as the flying Fijians, that was apparent in defense through powerful first-half tackles in the center, with number fifteen Marcus Smith, deployed 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 the fly-half to score.

The winger sharply finished a kick across the field by Smith to take England ahead after he had been illegally challenged in the air by Selestino Ravutaumada, who was awarded a sin-binning following a bunker review.

The English team pulled away from the Wallabies the previous weekend in the final quarter through the strength of their replacements that included six Lions tourists.

A much-changed starting XV from the win over the Wallabies did grab the next try as Genge went over following a powerful run by Lawrence, who was making his international comeback after suffering his Achilles versus the Italians in spring.

However, after a clever line-out move was finished by Ikanivere, Borthwick introduced several of his substitutes on the 54th minute – featuring Lions players Henry Pollock and Curry.

With the game still up for grabs, Fijian number nine Kuruvoli lost control of the ball when stretching for the goal line to cancel out substitute the hooker's score.

Breakdown specialist Earl, a try-scorer versus Australia, produced a spectacular game-saving stop to keep breathing room between the sides.

It capped another all-round impressive performance by the flanker, who received back-to-back man of the match honors.

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

It is full of stars and talent, which has helped secure victories in the final quarter that were squandered versus Australia and the All Blacks the previous fall.

Given the Scottish side pushed the All Blacks hard, Borthwick's side will feel confident of making a big statement next week.

If successful, 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)