The English Team Claims Ninth Straight Win 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

The English squad notched 4 second-half tries to overcome a resilient Fiji side in their latest fall test match.

The victory extends the English team's undefeated streak to nine matches and supports their triumph over the Wallabies the previous weekend.

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

Fly-half Muntz missed both conversions but slotted a penalty goal to take the Fijians further clear before Immanuel Feyi-Waboso scored.

Prop Genge and Ikanivere then exchanged tries to begin an exciting final forty minutes.

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

These tries came either side of Fiji scrum-half Kuruvoli spilling the ball when going for the tryline.

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

Borthwick's side now meet New Zealand this coming weekend in their toughest test theoretically this autumn.

Prior to this meeting, England had won eight of their 9 games with the Fijian side – most recently winning a close contest in the quarter-finals of the last global tournament.

That one defeat came just weeks before the competition in France and was a major turning point under Borthwick.

With the Pacific Islanders on a five-game streak – their equal best run since 1999 – the game was always likely to be hard-fought.

After slick phase play, number eight Chandler Cunningham-South made good ground before the hooker forced his way over for the first try from close range, with Ikanivere's try off the back of a maul adding a quick response.

Nicknamed the Flying Fijians, that was evident in defence through huge opening period midfield hits, with full-back Marcus Smith, deployed as a additional playmaker, in especial picked out.

But it was the classic attacking Fijian flare that was the highlight in the opening half as offloads sliced through the English defense for the fly-half to score.

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 Ravutaumada, who was awarded a yellow card following a bunker review.

England broke clear from the Wallabies last Saturday in the final quarter through the power of their replacements that contained multiple Lions tourists.

A much-changed starting lineup from the victory over the Wallabies did grab the following touchdown as Genge went over following a strong carry by Lawrence, who was returning to the national side after tearing his Achilles tendon versus Italy in March.

However, after a smart set piece was finished by Ikanivere, the coach unloaded several of his bench on the 54th minute – featuring Lions tourists Henry Pollock and Tom Curry.

With the match still in the balance, Fijian number nine Kuruvoli fumbled of the ball when stretching for the goal line to cancel out substitute George's try.

Flanker Ben Earl, a try-scorer versus the Wallabies, produced a spectacular try-saving tackle to maintain breathing room between the teams.

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

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

It is packed with stars and talent, which has aided in wins in the final quarter that were lost versus the Wallabies and New Zealand the previous fall.

Considering Scotland pushed the All Blacks hard, the English team will feel confident of sending a message this weekend.

If successful, the substitutes 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)