The English Team Earns 9th Consecutive Victory Over Tough 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

England scored 4 tries after halftime to beat a tough Fiji side in their latest fall test match.

This win extends the English team's winning run 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 scores by Ikanivere and Caleb Muntz.

Number ten Muntz failed to convert either try but kicked a penalty goal to take the Fijians further ahead before Feyi-Waboso crossed.

Ellis Genge and the Fijian hooker then traded scores to spark an thrilling second half.

Replacements George and Arundell, who demonstrated his scintillating pace, finished off tries to take the English side clear.

These tries came around Fiji scrum-half Simi Kuruvoli dropping the ball when going for the tryline.

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

Borthwick's side now play the All Blacks this coming weekend in their toughest test theoretically this autumn.

Before this meeting, England had claimed victory in eight of their nine matches with Fiji – most lately winning 30-24 in the last eight of the 2023 World Cup.

That one defeat came two months prior the tournament in Europe and was a significant shift under Borthwick.

With the Pacific Islanders on a five-game streak – their joint longest run since the late nineties – the game was always likely to be competitive.

After smooth attacking phases, number eight Cunningham-South gained valuable meters before Cowan-Dickie 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 clear in defence through monstrous opening period tackles in the center, with full-back Marcus Smith, deployed as a second playmaker, in especial targeted.

But it was the classic Fijian attacking flair that was the standout moment in the first forty as offloads cut England's defence open for Muntz to touch down.

The winger 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.

England broke clear from Australia last Saturday in the last twenty minutes through the strength of their bench that contained multiple Lions tourists.

A much-changed starting XV from the victory over the Australians did score the following touchdown as the prop crossed following a powerful run by Ollie Lawrence, who was returning to the national side after suffering his Achilles against the Italians in March.

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

With the game still in the balance, Fiji scrum-half Kuruvoli lost control of the ball when reaching for the tryline to negate replacement the hooker's score.

Flanker Ben Earl, who scored against the Wallabies, produced a spectacular game-saving stop to keep a narrow lead between the teams.

It capped another outstanding overall display by Earl, who picked up consecutive player-of-the-match awards.

The substitute's speed to race on to a kick through demonstrated exactly why the English replacements is so influential.

It is full of top players and talent, which has helped secure wins in the final quarter that were lost against Australia and the All Blacks the previous fall.

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

Should they win, the bench will likely again be crucial.

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)