The English Team Earns 9th Consecutive 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

England scored four second-half tries to overcome a physical Fiji side in their second autumn international.

The victory continues the English team's winning run to nine matches and follows up their win over Australia last Saturday.

England opened the scoring through hooker Cowan-Dickie before Fiji answered back with scores by Tevita Ikanivere and Caleb Muntz.

Fly-half Muntz failed to convert either try but kicked a penalty to take the visitors further clear before Immanuel Feyi-Waboso scored.

Ellis Genge and the Fijian hooker then exchanged tries to begin an entertaining second half.

Replacements Jamie George and Arundell, who displayed his scintillating pace, finished off tries to take the English side into a comfortable lead.

Those scores came around Fijian halfback Kuruvoli spilling the ball when attempting to score.

Skipper Maro Itoje, who also entered as a substitute, grabbed the final try.

Borthwick's side now face New Zealand next Saturday in their toughest test theoretically this fall.

Before this encounter, England had won eight of their nine matches with Fiji – most lately taking 30-24 in the last eight of the last global tournament.

Their sole loss came two months prior the competition in Europe and was a significant shift under Borthwick.

With the Pacific Islanders on a five-game streak – their equal best run since the late nineties – the fixture was always likely to be hard-fought.

After smooth attacking phases, back rower Chandler Cunningham-South gained valuable meters before the hooker forced his way over for the opening score from short distance, with the Fijian's score off the back of a maul providing a quick response.

Known as the Flying Fijians, that was apparent in defense through huge first-half midfield hits, with number fifteen Marcus Smith, deployed as a second playmaker, in particular targeted.

But it was the vintage attacking Fijian flare that was the highlight 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 cross-field kick by Smith to take England into the lead after he had been dangerously taken out in the air by Ravutaumada, who was given a sin-binning following a video review.

England pulled away from the Wallabies the previous weekend in the final quarter through the power of their bench that contained multiple British and Irish Lions.

A much-changed starting XV from the victory over the Australians did grab the following touchdown as the prop crossed following a powerful run by Lawrence, who was making his international comeback after tearing his Achilles tendon against Italy in spring.

However, after a clever set piece was finished by the Fijian, Borthwick introduced several of his bench on the 54th minute – including Lions tourists Pollock and Tom Curry.

With the match still in the balance, Fiji scrum-half the halfback lost control of the ball when reaching for the tryline to negate replacement the hooker's score.

Breakdown specialist Earl, who scored versus the Wallabies, produced a spectacular game-saving stop to keep a narrow lead between the sides.

It topped off another outstanding overall performance by Earl, who received consecutive player-of-the-match awards.

The substitute's speed to chase down a kick through showcased exactly why the English replacements is so influential.

It is packed with top players and quality, which has aided in victories in the final quarter that were squandered against Australia and the All Blacks last autumn.

Given the Scottish side pushed the All Blacks hard, the English team will feel confident of sending a message next week.

Should they win, the substitutes will probably play another key factor.

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

Referee: Paul Williams (New Zealand)

Assistant referee: Luc Ramos (France) and Katsuki Furuse (Japan)

Television match official: Mike Adamson (Scotland)