England Secures 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 tough Fijian team in their second autumn international.
The victory extends the English team's undefeated streak to nine matches and supports their triumph over the Wallabies last Saturday.
The home side got on the board first through Luke Cowan-Dickie before the visitors answered back with tries by Ikanivere and Muntz.
Number ten Muntz failed to convert either try but kicked a penalty to take the Fijians further ahead before Immanuel Feyi-Waboso crossed.
Ellis Genge and the Fijian hooker then exchanged tries to ignite an entertaining final forty minutes.
Replacements Jamie George and Henry Arundell, who displayed his blistering speed, touched down to take the hosts clear.
These tries came either side of Fijian halfback Kuruvoli spilling the ball when going for the tryline.
England captain Maro Itoje, who also entered as a substitute, secured the last touchdown.
The English team now face the All Blacks this coming weekend in their toughest test theoretically this autumn.
Fiji Begin Strongly to Challenge England
Before this match, the English team had claimed victory in eight of their nine games with Fiji – most recently taking 30-24 in the quarter-finals of the last global tournament.
Their sole loss came two months prior the competition in Europe and was a significant shift under Borthwick.
With Fiji on a five-game streak – their joint longest run since the late nineties – the game was always likely to be competitive.
Following smooth attacking phases, number eight Chandler Cunningham-South made good ground before the hooker barged over for the first try from short distance, with the Fijian's score off the back of a maul adding a quick response.
Nicknamed the flying Fijians, that was clear in defence through monstrous first-half midfield hits, with full-back Marcus Smith, deployed as a additional playmaker, in especial targeted.
But it was the classic Fijian attacking flair that was the highlight in the first forty as passes out of the tackle cut England's defence open for Muntz to score.
Feyi-Waboso expertly collected a kick across the field by Smith to take England ahead after he had been dangerously taken out in the air by Selestino Ravutaumada, who was awarded a sin-binning following a video review.
England's Impact Substitutes Delivers Again
England broke clear from the Wallabies last Saturday in the final quarter through the strength of their replacements that contained six Lions tourists.
A much-changed starting XV from the win over the Wallabies did grab the next try as Genge went over following a strong carry by Ollie Lawrence, who was making his international comeback after tearing his Achilles tendon against the Italians in March.
Nonetheless, after a smart line-out move was completed by the Fijian, Borthwick unloaded several of his bench on the 54-minute mark – including Lions tourists Pollock and Tom Curry.
With the match still in the balance, Fijian number nine the halfback lost control of the ball when stretching for the tryline to cancel out substitute the hooker's score.
Breakdown specialist Earl, a try-scorer versus the Wallabies, produced a spectacular game-saving stop to keep a narrow lead between the teams.
It topped off another all-round impressive display by Earl, who received back-to-back man of the match honors.
The substitute's speed to chase down a kick through showcased exactly why England's bench is so influential.
It is packed with stars and talent, which has helped secure wins 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.
If successful, the substitutes will likely 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)
