England Claims Ninth Consecutive Victory Against Physical 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

England notched four tries after halftime to overcome a tough Fijian team in their latest fall test match.

The victory lengthens the English team's winning run to nine matches and backs up their triumph over Australia last Saturday.

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

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

Ellis Genge and the Fijian hooker then exchanged tries to ignite an thrilling final forty minutes.

Substitutes Jamie George and Arundell, who displayed his scintillating pace, finished off tries to take the hosts into a comfortable lead.

These tries came either side of Fiji scrum-half Kuruvoli fumbling the ball when attempting to score.

England captain Itoje, who also entered as a substitute, grabbed the last touchdown.

Borthwick's side now meet the All Blacks next Saturday in their biggest challenge theoretically this autumn.

Before this encounter, the English team had won 8 of their 9 matches with the Fijian side – most recently taking a close contest in the last eight of the last global tournament.

That one defeat came two months prior the competition in Europe and was a major turning point under Borthwick.

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

After slick phase play, number eight Chandler Cunningham-South gained valuable meters before the hooker barged over for the opening score from close range, with the Fijian's score off the back of a maul providing a quick response.

Known as the flying Fijians, that was apparent in defense through powerful first-half midfield hits, with full-back Marcus Smith, used as a second playmaker, in especial picked out.

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

The winger sharply finished a cross-field kick by Smith to take England ahead after he had been illegally challenged in the air by Ravutaumada, who was given a yellow card following a bunker review.

England pulled away from the Wallabies the previous weekend in the last twenty minutes through the power of their replacements that contained multiple Lions tourists.

A significantly altered starting lineup from the victory over the Wallabies did grab the next try as Genge went over following a powerful run by Lawrence, who was returning to the national side after tearing his Achilles tendon versus the Italians in spring.

However, after a smart line-out move was completed by the Fijian, the coach introduced five of his substitutes on the 54th minute – featuring Lions tourists Pollock and Tom Curry.

With the game still up for grabs, Fiji scrum-half the halfback lost control of the ball when stretching for the tryline to negate substitute the hooker's score.

Flanker Earl, who scored versus the Wallabies, produced a spectacular game-saving stop to maintain breathing room between the teams.

It capped another all-round impressive display by the flanker, who received back-to-back player-of-the-match awards.

The substitute's speed to race on to a kick through demonstrated exactly why England's bench is so impactful.

It is packed with stars and talent, which has aided in victories in the final quarter that were squandered versus 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 next week.

If successful, the bench 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)