The English Team Earns 9th Straight Victory Against Physical 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
England scored 4 second-half tries to beat a physical Fiji side in their second fall test match.
This win lengthens Steve Borthwick's side's winning run to nine matches and backs up their triumph over Australia the previous weekend.
England got on the board first through hooker Cowan-Dickie before Fiji answered back with tries by Tevita Ikanivere and Caleb Muntz.
Fly-half Muntz missed both conversions but kicked a penalty to take the visitors further ahead before Feyi-Waboso crossed.
Prop Genge and Ikanivere then exchanged tries to spark an entertaining second half.
Substitutes Jamie George and Arundell, who demonstrated his blistering speed, finished off tries to take the English side clear.
These tries came around Fijian halfback Simi Kuruvoli dropping the ball when attempting to score.
England captain Maro Itoje, who also came off the bench, scored the final try.
The English team now face the All Blacks this coming weekend in their biggest challenge on paper this fall.
The Fijians Start Fast to Pressure The English
Prior to this meeting, the English team had won eight of their 9 matches with the Fijian side – most recently taking 30-24 in the quarter-finals of the last global tournament.
Their sole loss came two months prior the tournament in France and was a major turning point under Borthwick.
With Fiji on a five-match winning run – their equal best run since 1999 – the fixture was always expected to be tight.
After smooth attacking phases, number eight Cunningham-South made good ground before Cowan-Dickie barged over for the first try from short distance, with Ikanivere's try off the back of a driving maul adding a quick response.
Known as the Flying Fijians, that was clear in defence through powerful first-half tackles in the center, with full-back Marcus Smith, deployed as a second playmaker, in particular targeted.
But it was the classic Fijian attacking flair that was the standout moment in the opening half as passes out of the tackle cut England's defence open for the fly-half to touch down.
The winger sharply finished a cross-field kick by Smith to take the hosts into the lead after he had been illegally challenged in the air by Selestino Ravutaumada, who was given a sin-binning following a video review.
The English Star Bench Shines Once More
England pulled away from the Wallabies last Saturday in the last twenty minutes through the strength of their replacements that included multiple Lions tourists.
A much-changed starting XV from the victory over the Wallabies did grab the following touchdown as the prop went over following a powerful run by Lawrence, who was making his international comeback after suffering his Achilles tendon versus the Italians in spring.
However, after a smart line-out move was finished by Ikanivere, Borthwick introduced several of his bench on the 54-minute mark – including Lions players Pollock and Tom Curry.
With the game still up for grabs, Fiji scrum-half Kuruvoli lost control of the ball when reaching for the tryline to cancel out replacement the hooker's score.
Breakdown specialist Ben Earl, who scored versus the Wallabies, produced a spectacular try-saving tackle to maintain a narrow lead between the teams.
It capped another all-round impressive performance by the flanker, who picked up consecutive player-of-the-match awards.
Arundell's pace to chase down a grubber kick demonstrated exactly why the English replacements is so impactful.
It is packed with top players and talent, which has helped secure victories in the closing stages that were lost versus the Wallabies and New Zealand last autumn.
Considering the Scottish side pushed the All Blacks hard, the English team will fancy their chances of sending a message next week.
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
Refereeing Team
Referee: Paul Williams (New Zealand)
Assistant referee: Luc Ramos (France) and Katsuki Furuse (Japan)
Television match official: Mike Adamson (Scotland)
