The English Team Secures 9th Straight Victory Over Physical Fijian Side

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 4 tries after halftime to overcome a physical Fijian team in their second fall test match.

This win continues the English team's winning run to nine matches and follows up their win over Australia the previous weekend.

The home side got on the board first through hooker Cowan-Dickie before Fiji answered back with tries by Tevita Ikanivere and Muntz.

Fly-half the Fijian playmaker missed both conversions but slotted a penalty goal to take the visitors further clear before Immanuel Feyi-Waboso scored.

Ellis Genge and the Fijian hooker then traded scores to spark an exciting second half.

Substitutes George and Henry Arundell, who showed his blistering speed, touched down to take the English side into a comfortable lead.

These tries came either side of Fiji scrum-half Kuruvoli fumbling the ball when going for the tryline.

Skipper Maro Itoje, who also came off the bench, grabbed the final try.

The English team now play New Zealand next Saturday in their biggest challenge on paper this fall.

Prior to this encounter, the English team had won eight of their 9 games with Fiji – most lately 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 the Pacific Islanders on a five-game streak – their equal best streak since the late nineties – the game was always likely to be tight.

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

Known as the Flying Fijians, that was apparent in defence through powerful first-half midfield hits, with full-back Marcus Smith, deployed as a additional playmaker, in especial picked out.

But it was the classic Fijian attacking flair that was the highlight in the first forty as passes out of the tackle sliced through the English defense for the fly-half to touch down.

The winger expertly collected 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 yellow card following a bunker review.

The English team pulled away from Australia the previous weekend in the final quarter through the strength of their bench that included six British and Irish Lions.

A significantly altered starting lineup from the victory over the Australians did score the following touchdown as the prop crossed following a strong carry by Ollie Lawrence, who was making his international comeback after tearing his Achilles versus Italy in March.

Nonetheless, after a clever set piece was finished by the Fijian, Borthwick introduced five of his substitutes on the 54-minute mark – featuring Lions players Henry Pollock and Tom Curry.

With the match still up for grabs, Fiji scrum-half Kuruvoli lost control of the ball when stretching for the goal line to negate substitute George's try.

Flanker Ben Earl, who scored against the Wallabies, produced a spectacular try-saving tackle to keep a narrow lead between the teams.

It capped another outstanding overall display by the flanker, who received consecutive player-of-the-match awards.

Arundell's pace to race on to a grubber kick demonstrated exactly why England's bench is so impactful.

It is full of top players and talent, which has helped secure victories in the closing stages that were squandered versus Australia and the All Blacks the previous fall.

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

Should they win, the bench 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)