England Claims 9th Straight Win Over Tough 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 racked up four second-half tries to beat a physical Fijian team in their latest autumn international.
The victory extends Steve Borthwick's side's winning run to nine matches and supports their triumph over Australia last Saturday.
England got on the board first through Luke Cowan-Dickie before the visitors responded with tries by Ikanivere and Muntz.
Fly-half the Fijian playmaker failed to convert either try but nailed a penalty goal to take the visitors further clear before Feyi-Waboso scored.
Ellis Genge and Ikanivere then exchanged tries to ignite an thrilling second half.
Replacements George and Arundell, who demonstrated his scintillating pace, touched down to take the hosts clear.
These tries came either side of Fiji scrum-half Kuruvoli dropping the ball when going for the tryline.
Skipper Itoje, who also came off the bench, secured the final try.
The English team now meet New Zealand next Saturday in their biggest challenge on paper this fall.
Fiji Start Fast to Challenge The English
Before this meeting, England had claimed victory in 8 of their 9 games with the Fijian side – most lately taking a close contest in the last eight of the last global tournament.
Their sole loss came just weeks before the tournament in France and was a major turning point under Borthwick.
With Fiji on a five-game streak – their joint longest streak since the late nineties – the fixture was always expected to be tight.
After slick phase play, number eight Cunningham-South made good ground before Cowan-Dickie forced his way over for the first try from close range, with the Fijian's score off the back of a driving maul providing a quick response.
Known as the flying Fijians, that was evident in defence through huge opening period midfield hits, with full-back Smith, deployed as a additional playmaker, in especial targeted.
But it was the vintage attacking Fijian flare that was the standout moment in the opening half as passes out of the tackle sliced through the English defense for the fly-half to score.
Feyi-Waboso expertly collected a kick across the field by Smith to take England into the lead after he had been illegally challenged in the air by Ravutaumada, who was given a yellow card following a video review.
The English Star Bench Delivers Again
England broke clear from Australia the previous weekend in the last twenty minutes through the strength of their replacements that contained six British and Irish Lions.
A much-changed starting XV from the victory over the Wallabies did grab the next try as Genge crossed following a powerful run by Lawrence, who was returning to the national side after tearing his Achilles tendon against Italy in spring.
However, after a smart line-out move was finished by Ikanivere, the coach introduced several of his substitutes on the 54-minute mark – including Lions players Pollock and Curry.
With the match still up for grabs, Fiji scrum-half Kuruvoli fumbled of the ball when reaching for the tryline to cancel out replacement the hooker's score.
Breakdown specialist Ben Earl, a try-scorer versus the Wallabies, produced a stunning game-saving stop to maintain a narrow lead between the sides.
It capped another all-round impressive display by the flanker, who received consecutive man of the match honors.
Arundell's pace to chase down a kick through demonstrated exactly why England's bench is so influential.
It is packed with stars and talent, which has helped secure victories in the closing stages that were squandered against the Wallabies and New Zealand the previous fall.
Given Scotland pushed the All Blacks hard, Borthwick's side will fancy their chances of sending a message this weekend.
If successful, the substitutes will probably again be crucial.
Team Sheets
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)
