The English Team Claims 9th Straight Victory Over Physical 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 scored four second-half tries to defeat a tough Fiji side in their latest autumn international.

The victory lengthens Steve Borthwick's side's undefeated streak to nine matches and backs up their triumph over Australia last Saturday.

The home side opened the scoring through Luke Cowan-Dickie before Fiji responded with tries by Ikanivere and Muntz.

Fly-half Muntz missed both conversions but nailed a penalty to take the visitors further ahead before Immanuel Feyi-Waboso scored.

Ellis Genge and the Fijian hooker then traded scores to begin an exciting final forty minutes.

Replacements George and Arundell, who showed his blistering speed, touched down to take the hosts clear.

Those scores came around Fiji scrum-half Kuruvoli dropping the ball when attempting to score.

Skipper Maro Itoje, who also entered as a substitute, scored the final try.

The English team now meet the All Blacks next Saturday in their toughest test theoretically this autumn.

Before this match, the English team had won 8 of their nine games with Fiji – most recently winning a close contest in the quarter-finals of the 2023 World Cup.

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

With Fiji on a five-match winning run – their joint longest run since the late nineties – the game was always likely to be hard-fought.

After smooth attacking phases, back rower Cunningham-South made good ground before the hooker forced his way over for the first try from close range, with the Fijian's score off the back of a driving maul adding a quick response.

Known as the flying Fijians, that was apparent in defense through monstrous first-half tackles in the center, with number fifteen Marcus Smith, deployed as a additional playmaker, in especial 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 touch down.

Feyi-Waboso sharply finished a cross-field kick by Fin Smith to take England ahead after he had been dangerously taken out in the air by Selestino Ravutaumada, who was given a sin-binning following a video review.

England broke clear from Australia the previous weekend in the final quarter through the power of their bench that included multiple Lions tourists.

A significantly altered starting XV from the victory over the Australians did grab the next try as the prop went over following a powerful run by Lawrence, who was making his international comeback after tearing his Achilles against the Italians in spring.

Nonetheless, after a smart line-out move was finished by Ikanivere, Borthwick unloaded several of his bench on the 54th minute – featuring Lions tourists Henry Pollock and Curry.

With the game still in the balance, Fiji scrum-half the halfback fumbled of the ball when stretching for the tryline to cancel out substitute the hooker's score.

Flanker Earl, who scored against Australia, produced a stunning try-saving tackle to keep a narrow lead between the sides.

It topped off another outstanding overall performance by the flanker, who picked up consecutive player-of-the-match awards.

The substitute's speed to chase down a grubber kick showcased exactly why the English replacements is so impactful.

It is full of stars and quality, which has aided in victories in the final quarter that were lost versus Australia and the All Blacks last autumn.

Given Scotland ran New Zealand close, Borthwick's side will fancy their chances of sending a message this weekend.

Should they win, the bench 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)