The English Team Earns 9th Consecutive Victory Over Physical 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
England racked up 4 second-half tries to defeat a resilient Fijian team in their latest fall test match.
This win extends Steve Borthwick's side's undefeated streak to nine games and supports their win over the Wallabies the previous weekend.
England opened the scoring through Luke Cowan-Dickie before Fiji responded with tries by Ikanivere and Caleb Muntz.
Fly-half the Fijian playmaker failed to convert either try but kicked a penalty goal to take the Fijians further clear before Immanuel Feyi-Waboso scored.
Ellis Genge and the Fijian hooker then exchanged tries to begin an entertaining final forty minutes.
Replacements George and Henry Arundell, who showed his blistering speed, finished off tries to take the hosts clear.
Those scores came around Fijian halfback Kuruvoli fumbling the ball when attempting to score.
Skipper Itoje, who also entered as a substitute, scored the last touchdown.
The English team now face New Zealand next Saturday in their toughest test on paper this autumn.
Fiji Begin Strongly to Challenge England
Before this meeting, the English team had won eight of their nine games with Fiji – most lately winning 30-24 in the quarter-finals of the 2023 World Cup.
That one defeat came just weeks before the competition in France and was a significant shift under Borthwick.
With the Pacific Islanders on a five-match winning run – their joint longest run since the late nineties – the game was always expected to be hard-fought.
After slick phase play, back rower Chandler Cunningham-South gained valuable meters before the hooker barged over for the opening score from close range, with Ikanivere's try off the back of a driving maul providing a quick response.
Known as the Flying Fijians, that was apparent in defense through huge first-half tackles in the center, with number fifteen Marcus Smith, deployed as a additional playmaker, in particular targeted.
But it was the vintage attacking Fijian flare that was the standout moment in the opening half as passes out of the tackle cut England's defence open for Muntz to score.
Feyi-Waboso expertly collected a kick across the field by Fin Smith to take the hosts ahead after he had been dangerously taken out in the air by Selestino Ravutaumada, who was awarded a sin-binning following a video review.
The English Star Bench Delivers Again
England broke clear from Australia last Saturday in the last twenty minutes through the strength of their bench that included multiple Lions tourists.
A much-changed starting XV from the win over the Wallabies did score the next try as the prop went over following a strong carry by Ollie Lawrence, who was making his international comeback after tearing his Achilles versus the Italians in March.
Nonetheless, after a clever line-out move was finished by Ikanivere, Borthwick introduced several of his bench on the 54th minute – including Lions players Henry Pollock and Curry.
With the game still up for grabs, Fijian number nine Kuruvoli fumbled of the ball when reaching for the goal line to cancel out substitute the hooker's score.
Flanker Ben Earl, who scored versus Australia, produced a spectacular game-saving stop to maintain breathing room between the teams.
It topped off another all-round impressive display by Earl, who picked up back-to-back player-of-the-match awards.
Arundell's pace to chase down a grubber kick showcased exactly why England's bench is so impactful.
It is packed with top players and talent, which has aided in wins in the final quarter that were squandered against the Wallabies and New Zealand the previous fall.
Given the Scottish side pushed the All Blacks hard, Borthwick's side will fancy their chances of making a big statement next week.
Should they win, the substitutes will probably play another key factor.
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)
