The English Team Claims Ninth Straight Win Against Physical Fijian Side
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 scored four tries after halftime to beat a tough Fijian team in their second autumn international.
This win continues the English team's winning run to nine games and supports their triumph over the Wallabies the previous weekend.
England opened the scoring through hooker Cowan-Dickie before the visitors answered back with tries by Tevita Ikanivere and Caleb Muntz.
Fly-half the Fijian playmaker missed both conversions but kicked a penalty goal to take the visitors further ahead before Immanuel Feyi-Waboso crossed.
Ellis Genge and Ikanivere then exchanged tries to begin an exciting final forty minutes.
Substitutes Jamie George and Henry Arundell, who showed his scintillating pace, finished off tries to take the hosts into a comfortable lead.
Those scores came around Fijian halfback Kuruvoli dropping the ball when attempting to score.
Skipper Maro Itoje, who also entered as a substitute, secured the final try.
Borthwick's side now meet the All Blacks next Saturday in their toughest test on paper this fall.
The Fijians Begin Strongly to Pressure The English
Prior to this encounter, the English team had claimed victory in eight of their 9 games with the Fijian side – most lately taking a close contest in the last eight of the last global tournament.
That one defeat came two months prior the competition in Europe and was a significant shift under the head coach.
With Fiji on a five-match winning run – their equal best run since the late nineties – the fixture was always likely to be tight.
After slick phase play, back rower Cunningham-South made good ground before the hooker forced his way over for the opening score from close range, with the Fijian's score off the back of a driving maul adding a quick response.
Nicknamed the Flying Fijians, that was clear in defence through huge first-half midfield hits, with number fifteen Smith, used as a second playmaker, in especial picked out.
But it was the vintage attacking Fijian flare that was the standout moment in the first forty as passes out of the tackle cut England's defence open for the fly-half to touch down.
Feyi-Waboso sharply finished a kick across the field by Smith to take the hosts into the lead after he had been illegally challenged in the air by Ravutaumada, who was awarded a yellow card following a bunker review.
The English Star Bench Shines Once More
England broke clear from the Wallabies the previous weekend in the final quarter through the power of their replacements that included multiple Lions tourists.
A much-changed starting lineup from the victory over the Wallabies did score the following touchdown as the prop crossed following a strong carry by Lawrence, who was returning to the national side after suffering his Achilles tendon versus Italy in spring.
However, after a smart line-out move was finished by the Fijian, the coach unloaded five of his bench on the 54th minute – including Lions players Pollock and Tom Curry.
With the match still up for grabs, Fijian number nine Kuruvoli lost control of the ball when reaching for the tryline to negate substitute the hooker's score.
Breakdown specialist Earl, who scored versus Australia, produced a stunning try-saving tackle to maintain a narrow lead between the teams.
It capped another outstanding overall display by Earl, who picked up consecutive player-of-the-match awards.
The substitute's speed to race on to a grubber kick showcased exactly why the English replacements is so influential.
It is full of stars and talent, which has aided in victories in the final quarter that were squandered versus the Wallabies and New Zealand the previous fall.
Given Scotland pushed the All Blacks hard, the English team will feel confident of sending a message this weekend.
Should they win, the substitutes will probably again be crucial.
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
Refereeing Team
Referee: Paul Williams (New Zealand)
Assistant referee: Luc Ramos (France) and Katsuki Furuse (Japan)
Television match official: Mike Adamson (Scotland)
