The English Team Earns 9th Straight Win 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
The English squad racked up four second-half tries to beat a tough Fijian team in their latest fall test match.
This win continues Steve Borthwick's side's winning run to nine games and supports their triumph over Australia last Saturday.
The home side opened the scoring through Luke Cowan-Dickie before Fiji responded with tries by Ikanivere and Muntz.
Number ten the Fijian playmaker missed both conversions but kicked a penalty goal to take the Fijians further clear before Immanuel Feyi-Waboso crossed.
Prop Genge and Ikanivere then exchanged tries to ignite an exciting final forty minutes.
Substitutes George and Henry Arundell, who displayed his blistering speed, finished off tries to take the hosts clear.
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 final try.
Borthwick's side now face the All Blacks next Saturday in their biggest challenge on paper this fall.
The Fijians Begin Strongly to Pressure The English
Prior to this encounter, England had won eight of their 9 matches with Fiji – most lately taking a close contest in the last eight of the last global tournament.
That one defeat came just weeks before the competition in Europe and was a significant shift under Borthwick.
With Fiji on a five-game streak – their equal best streak since the late nineties – the game was always likely to be tight.
Following slick phase play, back rower Cunningham-South made good ground before Cowan-Dickie forced his way over for the opening score from short distance, with the Fijian's score off the back of a driving maul adding a quick response.
Known as the flying Fijians, that was evident in defence through monstrous first-half midfield hits, with number fifteen Marcus Smith, used as a additional playmaker, in especial targeted.
But it was the vintage 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.
Feyi-Waboso sharply finished a cross-field kick by Smith to take England into the lead after he had been illegally challenged in the air by Ravutaumada, who was awarded a yellow card following a video review.
England's Star Bench Delivers Again
England pulled away from Australia the previous weekend in the final quarter through the power of their bench that contained multiple Lions tourists.
A much-changed starting XV from the win over the Wallabies did score the next try as the prop went over following a powerful run by Lawrence, who was returning to the national side after tearing his Achilles tendon versus Italy in March.
However, after a smart line-out move was completed by Ikanivere, Borthwick unloaded five of his substitutes on the 54-minute mark – featuring Lions tourists Henry Pollock and Curry.
With the game still in the balance, Fiji scrum-half Kuruvoli lost control of the ball when stretching for the tryline to cancel out replacement the hooker's score.
Breakdown specialist Earl, who scored against the Wallabies, produced a stunning game-saving stop to maintain a narrow lead between the sides.
It topped off another outstanding overall display by Earl, who picked up back-to-back player-of-the-match awards.
Arundell's pace to chase down a grubber kick demonstrated exactly why England's bench is so influential.
It is full of stars and quality, which has aided in victories in the closing stages that were lost against the Wallabies and New Zealand last autumn.
Given the Scottish side ran New Zealand close, the English team will fancy their chances of sending a message this weekend.
Should they win, the bench will probably 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
Refereeing Team
Referee: Paul Williams (New Zealand)
Assistant referee: Luc Ramos (France) and Katsuki Furuse (Japan)
Television match official: Mike Adamson (Scotland)
