England pulls away late against Fiji for 9th straight win

LONDON (AP) — England won a ninth successive test when it outlasted Fiji 38-18 at Twickenham on Saturday.

The teams thrillingly went back and forth and England didn’t get safe separation on the scoreboard until Henry Arundell’s 69th-minute try.

Two yellow cards were costly for Fiji as England doubled down on the man advantage by scoring tries straight afterward. Caleb Muntz’s failure to convert their three tries also gave England breathing room but Fiji’s power and flair meant England could never take its eyes off the Pacific islanders.

England tallied six tries to achieve its longest winning streak in eight years, and Grand Slam-chasing New Zealand was the next visitor.

“Fiji are a high offload team and I thought we did well to get back behind the ball when they made line breaks,” England stand-in captain Ellis Genge said. “They are a team full of absolute mavericks and they have got lightning bolts everywhere.”

“We did well to get the 14-13 (halftime) lead and we spoke in the week about finishing well. I was really proud with what the boys did.”

Defeat ended the chance for Fiji, the Pacific Nations Cup champion, to win six tests in a row for the first time.

Despite seven changes from the team which beat underwhelming Australia 25-7 last weekend, England was quickly on the board against Fiji through hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie from a maul.

But Fiji replied with its own powerful maul try for counterpart and captain Tevita Ikanivere.

Muntz, who directed the historic first win over England on their last visit to Twickenham in 2023, then scored a try from a chip by Simione Kuruvoli and a penalty to extend Fiji’s lead to 13-7.

But their dazzling hustle of England was undone by a yellow card to winger Selestino Ravutaumada, who took out opposite wing Immanuel Feyi-Waboso in the air. With Ravutaumada missing, Feyi-Waboso took a crossfield kick on the bounce from Fin Smith and scored for England to lead by one at halftime.

Center Ollie Lawrence, recovered from a ruptured Achilles which ruled him out of the British and Irish Lions, made a brilliant solo run for co-captain Ellis Genge to score after the break.

Ikanivere’s second try from a front-of-the-lineout move cut England’s nervy lead to 21-18.

But England began to assume control after sending in a new front row and Lions back-rowers Tom Curry and Henry Pollock. Fiji suffered when Tuisova was sin-binned and Muntz left injured.

Replacement hooker Jamie George scored from a lineout drive and Fiji appeared to produce another immediate riposte when Kuruvoli slid over. But he was ruled to have knocked on when he hit the ground and England was off the hook instead of trailing 26-23.

England finished strong. Winger Henry Arundell, on the field only two minutes, scored when his fresh legs overtook two Fijians to Marcus Smith’s kickahead, and regular skipper Maro Itoje, benched for the first time since 2017, scored off a try-line ruck just three minutes after going on.

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AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby