The English Team Claims Ninth Straight Victory Against Physical 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
The English squad racked up four second-half tries to defeat a resilient Fijian team in their second fall test match.
This win extends Steve Borthwick's side's winning run to nine matches and backs up their win over Australia last Saturday.
The home side got on the board first through Luke Cowan-Dickie before Fiji responded with scores by Tevita Ikanivere and Caleb Muntz.
Fly-half the Fijian playmaker failed to convert either try but nailed a penalty goal to take the Fijians further ahead before Immanuel Feyi-Waboso crossed.
Ellis Genge and the Fijian hooker then exchanged tries to spark an entertaining final forty minutes.
Replacements Jamie George and Henry Arundell, who demonstrated his scintillating pace, finished off tries to take the hosts clear.
These tries came around Fijian halfback Simi Kuruvoli fumbling the ball when going for the tryline.
Skipper Maro Itoje, who also entered as a substitute, grabbed the last touchdown.
The English team now play New Zealand next Saturday in their toughest test on paper this fall.
Fiji Start Fast to Challenge The English
Prior to this meeting, England had claimed victory in 8 of their 9 games with Fiji – most recently winning 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 significant shift under the head coach.
With Fiji on a five-game streak – their joint longest streak since 1999 – the game was always expected to be competitive.
After slick phase play, back rower Cunningham-South gained valuable meters before Cowan-Dickie barged over for the opening score from short distance, with Ikanivere's try off the back of a maul providing a quick response.
Known as the Flying Fijians, that was apparent in defence through powerful first-half tackles in the center, with number fifteen Marcus Smith, used as a additional playmaker, in particular targeted.
But it was the vintage attacking Fijian flare that was the highlight in the opening half as passes out of the tackle cut England's defence open for the fly-half to score.
The winger sharply finished a cross-field kick by Smith to take England ahead after he had been illegally challenged in the air by Ravutaumada, who was awarded a sin-binning following a video review.
England's Impact Substitutes Shines Once More
England pulled away from the Wallabies last Saturday in the final quarter through the strength of their bench that included multiple British and Irish Lions.
A much-changed starting lineup from the win over the Australians did score the following touchdown as the prop crossed following a strong carry by Lawrence, who was making his international comeback after tearing his Achilles against the Italians in March.
However, after a clever line-out move was finished by Ikanivere, Borthwick unloaded five of his bench on the 54th minute – featuring Lions players Henry Pollock and Tom Curry.
With the game still in the balance, Fiji scrum-half the halfback lost control of the ball when reaching for the tryline to cancel out substitute George's try.
Flanker Ben Earl, a try-scorer against the Wallabies, produced a stunning try-saving tackle to keep a narrow lead between the sides.
It capped another all-round impressive display by the flanker, who picked up consecutive player-of-the-match awards.
Arundell's pace to chase down a kick through demonstrated exactly why the English replacements is so impactful.
It is full of top players and talent, which has helped secure victories in the final quarter that were squandered against the Wallabies and New Zealand the previous fall.
Considering the Scottish side pushed the All Blacks hard, the English team will fancy their chances of sending a message this weekend.
If successful, the bench 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)
