England Earns 9th Straight Victory Against 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 scored four tries after halftime to overcome a resilient Fijian team in their latest fall test match.
This win lengthens the English team's undefeated streak to nine games and follows up their win over Australia the previous weekend.
England opened the scoring through Luke Cowan-Dickie before the visitors answered back with scores by Ikanivere and Muntz.
Number ten the Fijian playmaker missed both conversions but slotted a penalty to take the visitors further ahead before Feyi-Waboso scored.
Prop Genge and the Fijian hooker then traded scores to ignite an exciting second half.
Replacements George and Arundell, who demonstrated his scintillating pace, finished off tries to take the hosts into a comfortable lead.
These tries came around Fijian halfback Simi Kuruvoli spilling the ball when going for the tryline.
England captain Itoje, who also entered as a substitute, secured the last touchdown.
Borthwick's side now meet New Zealand next Saturday in their biggest challenge on paper this fall.
The Fijians Start Fast to Pressure England
Prior to this encounter, the English team had claimed victory in eight of their nine matches with Fiji – most recently winning a close contest in the quarter-finals of the last global tournament.
Their sole loss came just weeks before the competition in France and was a significant shift under the head coach.
With the Pacific Islanders on a five-match winning run – their joint longest run since the late nineties – the game was always expected to be tight.
After smooth attacking phases, back rower Chandler Cunningham-South gained valuable meters before Cowan-Dickie forced his way over for the opening score from short distance, with the Fijian's score off the back of a maul adding a swift reply.
Nicknamed the flying Fijians, that was clear in defense through powerful opening period tackles in the center, with number fifteen Smith, deployed as a second playmaker, in especial picked out.
But it was the classic attacking Fijian flare that was the standout moment in the first forty as offloads sliced through the English defense for the fly-half to touch down.
The winger sharply finished a kick across the field by Fin Smith to take England into the lead after he had been illegally challenged in the air by Selestino Ravutaumada, who was given a yellow card following a video review.
England's Star Bench Delivers Again
The English team pulled away from the Wallabies the previous weekend in the last twenty minutes through the strength of their replacements that included six British and Irish Lions.
A much-changed starting XV from the win over the Wallabies did score the following touchdown as the prop crossed following a strong carry by Lawrence, who was making his international comeback after suffering his Achilles tendon against the Italians in March.
Nonetheless, after a smart set piece was completed by the Fijian, Borthwick unloaded five of his substitutes on the 54th minute – including Lions players Henry Pollock and Tom Curry.
With the match still up for grabs, Fiji scrum-half Kuruvoli lost control of the ball when reaching for the tryline to negate substitute the hooker's score.
Flanker Ben Earl, who scored versus the Wallabies, produced a stunning try-saving tackle to keep a narrow lead between the teams.
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 grubber kick demonstrated exactly why the English replacements is so impactful.
It is full of stars and talent, which has helped secure wins in the final quarter that were lost against the Wallabies and New Zealand the previous fall.
Considering Scotland pushed the All Blacks hard, the English team will feel confident of sending a message this weekend.
Should they win, the bench will likely play another key factor.
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)
