The English Team Secures Ninth Straight Victory Over Tough Fijian Side

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 scored four second-half tries to overcome a physical Fijian team in their second fall test match.

The victory extends the English team's undefeated streak to nine games and backs up their win over Australia last Saturday.

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

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

Prop Genge and Ikanivere then traded scores to begin an thrilling final forty minutes.

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

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

Skipper Itoje, who also entered as a substitute, secured the last touchdown.

The English team now meet New Zealand this coming weekend in their biggest challenge on paper this autumn.

Before this meeting, the English team had claimed victory in eight of their nine matches with the Fijian side – most lately winning a close contest in the last eight of the last global tournament.

Their sole loss came two months prior the competition 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 game was always expected to be tight.

After smooth attacking phases, back rower Chandler Cunningham-South made good ground before the hooker forced his way over for the opening score from close range, with Ikanivere's try off the back of a maul providing a swift reply.

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

But it was the vintage attacking Fijian flare that was the standout moment in the first forty as passes out of the tackle sliced through the English defense for Muntz to score.

Feyi-Waboso expertly collected a cross-field kick by Fin Smith to take England ahead after he had been dangerously taken out in the air by Ravutaumada, who was given a sin-binning following a video review.

England pulled away from the Wallabies last Saturday in the final quarter through the power of their replacements that contained six Lions tourists.

A much-changed starting lineup from the victory over the Australians did grab the following touchdown as Genge crossed following a strong carry by Ollie Lawrence, who was making his international comeback after suffering his Achilles versus the Italians in spring.

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

With the game still in the balance, Fiji scrum-half the halfback fumbled of the ball when reaching for the goal line to negate substitute George's try.

Breakdown specialist Earl, who scored against the Wallabies, produced a stunning try-saving tackle to maintain breathing room between the teams.

It topped off another all-round impressive performance by the flanker, who picked up back-to-back player-of-the-match awards.

The substitute's speed to chase down a grubber kick showcased exactly why the English replacements is so impactful.

It is full of top players and quality, which has helped secure wins in the closing stages that were squandered versus the Wallabies and New Zealand the previous fall.

Given the Scottish side ran New Zealand close, the English team will feel confident of making a big statement this weekend.

Should they win, 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)