The English Team Earns Ninth Straight Victory Against Physical Fiji
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 tries after halftime to defeat a physical Fiji side in their second autumn international.
The victory extends Steve Borthwick's side's undefeated streak to nine games and follows up their triumph over Australia last Saturday.
England got on the board first through Luke Cowan-Dickie before the visitors answered back with tries by Tevita Ikanivere and Caleb Muntz.
Fly-half Muntz failed to convert either try but nailed a penalty goal to take the visitors further clear before Feyi-Waboso scored.
Ellis Genge and the Fijian hooker then exchanged tries to begin an exciting second half.
Substitutes Jamie George and Henry Arundell, who displayed his scintillating pace, touched down to take the hosts clear.
These tries came around Fijian halfback Simi Kuruvoli spilling the ball when attempting to score.
Skipper Itoje, who also entered as a substitute, grabbed the final try.
Borthwick's side now play New Zealand this coming weekend in their toughest test on paper this fall.
Fiji Begin Strongly to Pressure The English
Before this match, England had won 8 of their 9 matches with the Fijian side – most recently taking 30-24 in the last eight of the 2023 World Cup.
Their sole loss came just weeks before the tournament 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 expected to be competitive.
Following slick phase play, back rower Chandler Cunningham-South made good ground before Cowan-Dickie barged over for the opening score 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 defense through huge first-half tackles in the center, with number fifteen Smith, used as a additional 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 the fly-half to score.
The winger sharply finished 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 given a sin-binning following a video review.
England's Impact Substitutes Delivers Again
The English team pulled away from the Wallabies last Saturday in the last twenty minutes through the power of their replacements that included multiple British and Irish Lions.
A significantly altered starting lineup from the win over the Wallabies did grab the next try as Genge crossed following a powerful run by Ollie Lawrence, who was returning to the national side after tearing his Achilles tendon versus the Italians in March.
However, after a smart line-out move was completed by the Fijian, the coach unloaded five of his bench on the 54th minute – featuring Lions tourists Pollock and Curry.
With the game still up for grabs, Fijian number nine the halfback lost control of the ball when reaching for the tryline to negate substitute the hooker's score.
Breakdown specialist Ben Earl, who scored against Australia, produced a stunning game-saving stop to maintain a narrow lead between the sides.
It topped off another outstanding overall performance by the flanker, who picked up consecutive man of the match honors.
Arundell's pace to chase down a kick through demonstrated exactly why England's bench is so impactful.
It is packed with stars and quality, which has aided in victories in the final quarter that were squandered versus the Wallabies and New Zealand the previous fall.
Given Scotland pushed the All Blacks hard, Borthwick's side will fancy their chances of making a big statement next week.
Should they win, the bench will probably again be crucial.
Team Sheets
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
Refereeing Team
Referee: Paul Williams (New Zealand)
Assistant referee: Luc Ramos (France) and Katsuki Furuse (Japan)
Television match official: Mike Adamson (Scotland)
