England Earns Ninth Consecutive 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
The English squad notched four tries after halftime to overcome a physical Fijian team in their latest autumn international.
The victory continues the English team's winning run to nine matches and backs up their triumph over the Wallabies the previous weekend.
The home side got on the board first through hooker Cowan-Dickie before Fiji answered back with tries by Ikanivere and Muntz.
Number ten the Fijian playmaker missed both conversions but slotted a penalty to take the visitors further ahead before Immanuel Feyi-Waboso scored.
Prop Genge and Ikanivere then traded scores to spark an exciting second half.
Replacements George and Arundell, who demonstrated his blistering speed, finished off tries to take the hosts clear.
Those scores came either side of 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 biggest challenge on paper this fall.
The Fijians Begin Strongly to Challenge The English
Prior to this encounter, the English team had won eight of their 9 matches with the Fijian side – most lately winning a close contest in the quarter-finals of the 2023 World Cup.
That one defeat came just weeks before the competition in France and was a major turning point under Borthwick.
With Fiji on a five-game streak – their equal best run since the late nineties – the game was always expected to be competitive.
Following smooth attacking phases, back rower Cunningham-South gained valuable meters before Cowan-Dickie forced his way over for the first try from short distance, with the Fijian's score off the back of a maul providing a swift reply.
Nicknamed the flying Fijians, that was clear in defence through monstrous opening period midfield hits, with number fifteen Marcus Smith, used as a additional playmaker, in especial targeted.
But it was the classic attacking Fijian flare that was the highlight in the opening half as passes out of the tackle sliced through the English defense for the fly-half to touch down.
Feyi-Waboso expertly collected a cross-field kick by Smith to take the hosts ahead after he had been dangerously taken out in the air by Ravutaumada, who was awarded a sin-binning following a bunker review.
England's Impact Substitutes Shines Once More
England pulled away from the Wallabies the previous weekend in the last twenty minutes through the strength of their replacements that contained six British and Irish Lions.
A significantly altered starting XV from the win over the Wallabies did score the next try as Genge went over following a strong carry by Lawrence, who was returning to the national side after suffering his Achilles versus the Italians in spring.
Nonetheless, after a smart set piece was completed by the Fijian, Borthwick introduced several of his substitutes on the 54th minute – featuring Lions tourists Henry 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 goal line to negate substitute the hooker's score.
Breakdown specialist Earl, who scored versus the Wallabies, produced a stunning try-saving tackle to maintain a narrow lead between the sides.
It capped another all-round impressive performance by Earl, who picked up consecutive man of the match honors.
The substitute's speed to race on to a grubber kick demonstrated exactly why the English replacements is so influential.
It is packed with stars and talent, which has helped secure victories in the closing stages that were lost 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 sending a message this weekend.
Should they win, the substitutes will probably play another key factor.
Line-ups
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
Match Officials
Referee: Paul Williams (New Zealand)
Assistant referee: Luc Ramos (France) and Katsuki Furuse (Japan)
Television match official: Mike Adamson (Scotland)
