The English Team Secures 9th Straight Win Against Tough Fiji

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 scored 4 second-half tries to overcome a tough Fijian team in their second autumn international.

This win extends the English team's winning run to nine games and follows up their win over Australia last Saturday.

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

Number ten the Fijian playmaker failed to convert either try but nailed a penalty goal to take the visitors further clear before Immanuel Feyi-Waboso crossed.

Prop Genge and the Fijian hooker then traded scores to begin an entertaining second half.

Replacements Jamie George and Henry Arundell, who showed his scintillating pace, finished off tries to take the hosts into a comfortable lead.

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

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

Borthwick's side now meet the All Blacks this coming weekend in their toughest test on paper this fall.

Before this meeting, the English team had won eight of their 9 games with Fiji – most lately winning a close contest in the last eight of the last global tournament.

Their sole loss came just weeks before the competition in France and was a significant shift under Borthwick.

With the Pacific Islanders on a five-game streak – their equal best streak since 1999 – the game was always likely to be tight.

Following slick phase play, number eight Chandler Cunningham-South made good ground before the hooker barged over for the opening score from short distance, with the Fijian's score off the back of a driving maul adding a swift reply.

Nicknamed the Flying Fijians, that was clear in defence through powerful opening period tackles in the center, with full-back Smith, used as a second playmaker, in particular picked out.

But it was the vintage Fijian attacking flair that was the standout moment in the opening half as offloads cut England's defence open for Muntz to score.

The winger expertly collected a cross-field kick by Fin Smith to take England ahead after he had been illegally challenged in the air by Selestino Ravutaumada, who was given a sin-binning following a bunker review.

England broke clear from the Wallabies the previous weekend in the final quarter through the strength of their replacements that contained six Lions tourists.

A significantly altered starting lineup from the win over the Australians did grab the next try as the prop went over following a powerful run by Ollie Lawrence, who was making his international comeback after suffering his Achilles versus Italy in spring.

Nonetheless, after a clever line-out move was completed by the Fijian, Borthwick unloaded five of his substitutes on the 54-minute mark – featuring Lions tourists Pollock and Curry.

With the match still in the balance, Fiji scrum-half Kuruvoli lost control of the ball when stretching for the tryline to cancel out replacement George's try.

Flanker Ben Earl, a try-scorer versus Australia, produced a spectacular try-saving tackle to maintain breathing room between the teams.

It capped another outstanding overall performance by Earl, who picked up consecutive man of the match honors.

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

It is packed with top players and talent, which has helped secure wins in the final quarter that were squandered against the Wallabies and New Zealand last autumn.

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

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)