The English Team Claims Ninth Consecutive Victory Against 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

England notched 4 second-half tries to overcome a resilient Fijian team in their latest fall test match.

The victory lengthens the English team's winning run to nine matches and supports their win over Australia last Saturday.

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

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

Ellis Genge and Ikanivere then traded scores to spark an exciting final forty minutes.

Replacements George and Arundell, who displayed his blistering speed, finished off tries to take the English side into a comfortable lead.

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

England captain Maro Itoje, who also came off the bench, scored the final try.

Borthwick's side now meet the All Blacks next Saturday in their toughest test on paper this autumn.

Prior to this meeting, England had won eight of their 9 games with the Fijian side – most lately winning a close contest in the quarter-finals of the 2023 World Cup.

That one defeat came just weeks before the competition in France and was a major turning point under Borthwick.

With Fiji on a five-match winning run – their joint longest streak since 1999 – the game was always likely to be tight.

Following smooth attacking phases, number eight Chandler Cunningham-South gained valuable meters before Cowan-Dickie barged over for the opening score from close range, with the Fijian's score off the back of a maul adding a quick response.

Known as the Flying Fijians, that was apparent in defence through monstrous first-half midfield hits, with number fifteen Smith, used as a additional playmaker, in especial picked out.

But it was the classic attacking Fijian flare that was the highlight in the first forty as offloads cut England's defence open for the fly-half to touch down.

The winger expertly collected a cross-field kick by Fin Smith to take the hosts 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 the Wallabies the previous weekend in the final quarter through the strength of their bench that contained six British and Irish Lions.

A much-changed starting lineup from the win over the Australians did grab the following touchdown as Genge crossed following a powerful run by Ollie Lawrence, who was returning to the national side after suffering his Achilles against the Italians in spring.

Nonetheless, after a smart set piece was finished by Ikanivere, Borthwick unloaded several of his bench on the 54th minute – including Lions players Henry Pollock and Curry.

With the match still in the balance, Fijian number nine the halfback lost control of the ball when stretching for the tryline to negate substitute the hooker's score.

Breakdown specialist Ben Earl, who scored versus Australia, produced a stunning game-saving stop to maintain a narrow lead between the teams.

It capped another all-round impressive display by Earl, who received back-to-back player-of-the-match awards.

The substitute's speed to race on to a grubber kick demonstrated exactly why the English replacements is so influential.

It is packed with 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 the Scottish side ran New Zealand close, the English team will feel confident of sending a message this weekend.

If successful, the substitutes will probably again be crucial.

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)