England Secures 9th Consecutive Win Over Tough 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 racked up 4 second-half tries to defeat a tough Fijian team in their second autumn international.

The victory extends the English team's undefeated streak to nine games and backs up their win over Australia the previous weekend.

England got on the board first through hooker Cowan-Dickie before Fiji responded with scores by Ikanivere and Muntz.

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

Ellis Genge and the Fijian hooker then exchanged tries to spark an thrilling second half.

Substitutes Jamie George and Henry Arundell, who displayed his scintillating pace, touched down to take the English side clear.

Those scores came either side of Fijian halfback Simi Kuruvoli dropping the ball when attempting to score.

Skipper Itoje, who also came off the bench, secured the last touchdown.

Borthwick's side now meet New Zealand this coming weekend in their biggest challenge theoretically this autumn.

Prior to this encounter, England had won 8 of their nine games with Fiji – most lately taking a close contest in the last eight of the last global tournament.

Their sole loss came two months prior the tournament in France and was a significant shift under the head coach.

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

Following slick phase play, number eight Cunningham-South gained valuable meters before the hooker barged over for the opening score from short distance, 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 opening period midfield hits, with number fifteen Marcus Smith, used as a additional playmaker, in particular targeted.

But it was the classic Fijian attacking flair that was the standout moment in the first forty as passes out of the tackle cut England's defence open for the fly-half to touch down.

The winger sharply finished a cross-field kick by Smith to take the hosts into the lead after he had been dangerously taken out in the air by Selestino Ravutaumada, who was awarded a sin-binning following a bunker review.

The English team broke clear from the Wallabies the previous weekend in the last twenty minutes through the impact of their bench that contained multiple British and Irish Lions.

A significantly altered starting XV from the win over the Wallabies did score the following touchdown as Genge crossed following a powerful run by Lawrence, who was making his international comeback after tearing his Achilles against the Italians in spring.

However, after a smart line-out move was finished by the Fijian, Borthwick introduced several of his bench on the 54th minute – featuring Lions players Pollock and Tom Curry.

With the game still in the balance, Fijian number nine Kuruvoli fumbled of the ball when stretching for the goal line to negate replacement the hooker's score.

Breakdown specialist Earl, who scored versus Australia, produced a stunning try-saving tackle to maintain breathing room between the teams.

It capped another all-round impressive performance by Earl, who picked up back-to-back man of the match honors.

Arundell's pace to chase down a kick through demonstrated exactly why England's bench is so influential.

It is packed with stars and quality, which has helped secure wins in the final quarter that were squandered against Australia and the All Blacks last autumn.

Given the Scottish side pushed the All Blacks hard, Borthwick's side will feel confident of sending a message 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)