The English Team Secures Ninth Straight 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 second-half tries to defeat a physical Fijian team in their second fall test match.

This win extends Steve Borthwick's side's winning run to nine games and follows up their win over Australia the previous weekend.

The home side got on the board first through hooker Cowan-Dickie before Fiji answered back with scores by Ikanivere and Muntz.

Fly-half the Fijian playmaker missed both conversions but nailed a penalty to take the Fijians further clear before Immanuel Feyi-Waboso scored.

Prop Genge and Ikanivere then exchanged tries to spark an exciting second half.

Replacements George and Henry Arundell, who demonstrated his blistering speed, touched down to take the hosts clear.

These tries came either side of Fijian halfback Kuruvoli spilling the ball when attempting to score.

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

Borthwick's side now play New Zealand this coming weekend in their biggest challenge on paper this fall.

Before this encounter, the English team had claimed victory in 8 of their 9 matches with Fiji – most lately taking a close contest in the last eight of the 2023 World Cup.

That one defeat came just weeks before the tournament in France and was a major turning point under the head coach.

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

Following slick phase play, number eight Cunningham-South made good ground before Cowan-Dickie barged over for the first try from close range, with Ikanivere's try off the back of a driving maul providing a swift reply.

Nicknamed the Flying Fijians, that was evident in defence through monstrous first-half midfield hits, with number fifteen Smith, deployed as a additional playmaker, in especial targeted.

But it was the vintage Fijian attacking flair that was the highlight in the first forty as offloads sliced through the English defense for Muntz to touch down.

Feyi-Waboso sharply finished a kick across the field by Fin Smith to take England into the lead after he had been illegally challenged in the air by Selestino Ravutaumada, who was awarded a sin-binning following a bunker review.

The English team broke clear from Australia the previous weekend in the final quarter through the impact of their bench that contained multiple Lions tourists.

A significantly altered starting lineup from the victory over the Australians did score the next try as the prop went over following a strong carry by Lawrence, who was making his international comeback after tearing his Achilles versus Italy in March.

Nonetheless, after a smart line-out move was finished by the Fijian, the coach unloaded five of his bench on the 54th minute – featuring Lions tourists Henry Pollock and Tom Curry.

With the game still in the balance, Fiji scrum-half the halfback lost control of the ball when stretching for the goal line to cancel out substitute the hooker's score.

Flanker Ben Earl, who scored against Australia, produced a spectacular try-saving tackle to maintain a narrow lead between the teams.

It topped off another outstanding overall display by the flanker, who received back-to-back man of the match honors.

The substitute's speed to chase down a kick through showcased exactly why England's bench is so impactful.

It is packed with stars and talent, which has helped secure victories in the final quarter that were squandered against the Wallabies and New Zealand the previous fall.

Considering the Scottish side ran New Zealand close, the English team will fancy their chances of making a big statement this weekend.

Should they win, the substitutes will probably 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)