🔗 Share this article England Earns 9th Consecutive Win Over Tough Fiji 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 racked up 4 second-half tries to overcome a resilient Fijian team in their second autumn international. This win extends the English team's undefeated streak to nine matches and follows up their triumph over the Wallabies last Saturday. England got on the board first through hooker Cowan-Dickie before the visitors answered back with scores by Ikanivere and Caleb Muntz. Number ten Muntz failed to convert either try but slotted a penalty to take the visitors further ahead before Immanuel Feyi-Waboso crossed. Prop Genge and the Fijian hooker then exchanged tries to begin an thrilling final forty minutes. Substitutes Jamie George and Arundell, who showed his blistering speed, finished off tries to take the English side clear. These tries came around Fiji scrum-half Kuruvoli spilling the ball when going for the tryline. Skipper Itoje, who also entered as a substitute, grabbed the final try. Borthwick's side now meet the All Blacks this coming weekend in their toughest test on paper this fall. Fiji Start Fast to Challenge The English Prior to this meeting, the English team had won 8 of their 9 matches with the Fijian side – most lately winning 30-24 in the last eight of the 2023 World Cup. That one defeat came just weeks before the competition in France and was a significant shift under the head coach. With Fiji on a five-match winning run – their equal best streak since 1999 – the game was always likely to be hard-fought. After slick phase play, back rower Chandler Cunningham-South made good ground before the hooker barged over for the opening score from close range, with the Fijian's score off the back of a driving maul providing a quick response. Nicknamed the flying Fijians, that was apparent in defense through monstrous first-half midfield hits, with number fifteen Smith, used as a second playmaker, in particular picked out. But it was the vintage attacking Fijian flare that was the standout moment in the first forty as offloads sliced through the English defense for the fly-half to score. The winger expertly collected a kick across the field by Fin 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. The English Impact Substitutes Delivers Again The English team pulled away from the Wallabies the previous weekend in the final quarter through the impact of their bench that included multiple British and Irish Lions. A significantly altered starting lineup from the win over the Australians did grab the following touchdown as the prop crossed following a powerful run by Ollie Lawrence, who was returning to the national side after tearing his Achilles tendon versus Italy in spring. Nonetheless, after a clever line-out move was finished by the Fijian, Borthwick introduced several of his substitutes on the 54th minute – featuring Lions players Henry Pollock and Tom Curry. With the match still in the balance, Fijian number nine Kuruvoli lost control of the ball when reaching for the tryline to cancel out replacement the hooker's score. Breakdown specialist Ben Earl, a try-scorer versus Australia, produced a spectacular game-saving stop to keep breathing room between the teams. It topped off another all-round impressive performance by Earl, who picked up consecutive player-of-the-match awards. Arundell's pace to race on to a kick through showcased exactly why the English replacements is so influential. It is full of top players and talent, which has aided in wins in the final quarter that were lost against Australia and the All Blacks last autumn. Considering Scotland pushed the All Blacks hard, Borthwick's side will fancy their chances of sending a message this weekend. Should they win, the bench will likely 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)