The English Team Secures 9th Consecutive Victory Against Tough 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

The English squad scored 4 second-half tries to defeat a physical Fijian team in their second autumn international.

This win extends the English team's undefeated streak to nine matches and backs up their triumph over Australia the previous weekend.

England opened the scoring through hooker 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 to take the Fijians further clear before Immanuel Feyi-Waboso scored.

Prop Genge and Ikanivere then exchanged tries to begin 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 around Fijian halfback Kuruvoli fumbling the ball when attempting to score.

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

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

Before this meeting, England had claimed victory in eight of their nine games with the Fijian side – most lately winning a close contest in the last eight of the 2023 World Cup.

Their sole loss came two months prior the competition in Europe and was a major turning point under the head coach.

With Fiji on a five-match winning run – their equal best streak since the late nineties – the game was always likely to be tight.

After smooth attacking phases, back rower Chandler Cunningham-South made good ground before Cowan-Dickie barged over for the first try from close range, with the Fijian's score off the back of a maul providing a quick response.

Known as the flying Fijians, that was clear in defence through huge opening period tackles in the center, with number fifteen Smith, used as a second playmaker, in especial targeted.

But it was the vintage Fijian attacking flair that was the highlight in the opening half as passes out of the tackle cut England's defence open for Muntz to score.

Feyi-Waboso expertly collected a cross-field kick by Smith to take England ahead after he had been dangerously taken out in the air by Ravutaumada, who was given a yellow card following a video review.

England pulled away from Australia the previous weekend in the last twenty minutes through the power of their replacements that included multiple British and Irish Lions.

A much-changed starting lineup from the victory over the Australians did score the next try as the prop crossed following a strong carry by Ollie Lawrence, who was making his international comeback after suffering his Achilles tendon versus the Italians in spring.

However, after a smart set piece was completed by the Fijian, Borthwick unloaded several of his bench on the 54th minute – including Lions tourists Henry Pollock and Curry.

With the match still in the balance, Fiji scrum-half the halfback fumbled of the ball when reaching for the goal line to negate substitute George's try.

Flanker Ben Earl, who scored versus the Wallabies, produced a spectacular try-saving tackle to keep breathing room between the sides.

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

Arundell's pace to race on to a grubber kick showcased exactly why the English replacements is so impactful.

It is full of top players and quality, which has helped secure victories in the closing stages that were squandered against the Wallabies and New Zealand last autumn.

Given Scotland pushed the All Blacks hard, the English team will feel confident of making a big statement next week.

Should they win, 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)