England Earns 9th Straight Win Against Physical 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 notched 4 tries after halftime to overcome a tough Fiji side in their second fall test match.

The victory lengthens the English team's winning run to nine games and follows up their win over the Wallabies last Saturday.

England 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 kicked a penalty goal to take the visitors further clear before Feyi-Waboso scored.

Prop Genge and Ikanivere then traded scores to begin an thrilling final forty minutes.

Replacements Jamie George and Arundell, who displayed his blistering speed, finished off tries to take the English side into a comfortable lead.

These tries came around Fijian halfback Simi Kuruvoli dropping the ball when going for the tryline.

Skipper Itoje, who also entered as a substitute, scored the last touchdown.

Borthwick's side now play the All Blacks next Saturday in their biggest challenge on paper this autumn.

Before this encounter, the English team had claimed victory in eight of their 9 matches with Fiji – most lately taking a close contest in the quarter-finals of the last global tournament.

That one defeat came just weeks before the tournament in Europe and was a significant shift under the head coach.

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

After slick phase play, back rower Chandler Cunningham-South made good ground before the hooker forced his way over for the opening score from close range, with Ikanivere's try off the back of a maul providing a swift reply.

Known as the Flying Fijians, that was clear in defense through powerful first-half tackles in the center, with number fifteen Marcus Smith, used as a additional playmaker, in particular picked out.

But it was the classic attacking Fijian flare that was the highlight in the first forty as passes out of the tackle sliced through the English defense for the fly-half to touch down.

Feyi-Waboso sharply finished a kick across the field by Fin Smith to take the hosts into the lead after he had been illegally challenged in the air by Ravutaumada, who was given a yellow card following a video review.

The English team broke clear from Australia last Saturday in the final quarter through the impact of their bench that included six British and Irish Lions.

A significantly altered starting lineup from the victory over the Wallabies did score the following touchdown as Genge crossed following a strong carry by Lawrence, who was making his international comeback after tearing his Achilles against the Italians in March.

However, after a smart line-out move was finished by Ikanivere, Borthwick unloaded five of his bench on the 54-minute mark – including Lions players Pollock and Tom Curry.

With the match still in the balance, Fijian number nine Kuruvoli fumbled of the ball when stretching for the tryline to cancel out substitute the hooker's score.

Breakdown specialist Earl, a try-scorer against Australia, produced a spectacular try-saving tackle to maintain a narrow lead between the teams.

It topped off another outstanding overall performance by Earl, who picked up back-to-back man of the match honors.

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

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

Given Scotland pushed the All Blacks hard, Borthwick's side will fancy their chances of making a big statement this weekend.

Should they win, the bench will likely 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)