| Venue: Stade Pierre Mauroy Date: Saturday, 7 October Kick-off: 16.45 BST |
| Protection: Commentary on BBC Radio 5 Reside and Radio 5 Reside Sports activities Further, plus textual content updates on the BBC Sport web site and app |
Going into the World Cup, issues appeared bleak for England.
A fourth-place end on the Six Nations, a leaky defence, a spate of pink playing cards and warm-up defeats by Wales, Eire and Fiji ensured expectations have been at all-time low.
But simply over three weeks later, Steve Borthwick’s facet have secured their passage to the quarter-finals with a sport to spare – and as pool winners.
Victories over Argentina, Japan and Chile put England in command of Pool D earlier than their knockout place was secured with out them even having to set foot on the sphere.
Japan’s win over Samoa meant England – a few of whose gamers have been noticed at Disneyland with their households throughout a number of days off earlier this week – can’t be caught on the summit of their pool. That is how they made it.
Ford kicks England off regardless of Curry pink
When you find yourself a group scratching round for type, you typically must depend on particular person brilliance to encourage the collective.
Step ahead George Ford in England’s opening sport towards Argentina, their solely tier-one opposition within the pool.
Fly-half Ford kicked three drop-goals to provide his facet a 12-3 half-time lead. England managed the second half and Ford added 15 factors from penalties as Borthwick’s facet began with a morale-boosting 27-10 win.
It may have all gone horribly incorrect after Tom Curry was controversially despatched off through bunker overview for a third-minute conflict of heads, in what has confirmed the primary of a number of divisive speaking factors impressed by the brand new system.
But it surely was an old school, hard-fought win which has encapsulated the no-nonsense means through which England have navigated their pool.
Bonus factors secured as Courageous Blossoms crushed
Any hopes that England may kick on with glowing rugby having crushed their principal pool challengers within the opening sport, have been dashed by the character of their win over Japan in week two.
The rating of 34-12 was comfy, however it – and the bonus level for scoring 4 tries – was solely secured with the final play of the sport.
Lewis Ludlam scored the one strive of a primary half suffering from England errors, earlier than Rikiya Matsuda’s boot had Japan inside a degree at 13-12 early within the second.
A fortuitous strive from captain Courtney Lawes, after the ball had bounced off the top of Joe Marler, gave respiratory house and the lead was prolonged within the latter levels.
However England wanted a spark from someplace. Step ahead Henry Arundell.
5-star Arundell too sizzling for Chile
In opposition to debutants Chile, it was by no means going to be about whether or not England would safe victory however how they’d do it.
Because of Arundell in his first World Cup look, it was with fashion and ease. The 20-year-old scored 5 of England’s 11 tries, within the course of placing himself high of the event scoring charts.
Additionally spectacular was Marcus Smith at full-back, who scored the perfect strive of the match by racing on to his personal kick.
Owen Farrell returned to the group after a four-match ban and mixed effectively with Smith and Ford, making certain Borthwick has a welcome headache in the case of becoming all of the inventive expertise out there into his beginning XV.
The 71-0 win meant England would qualify for the final eight if Japan beat Samoa the next Thursday night time – which the Asian nation did, 28-22.
What comes subsequent?
England may now face Samoa of their closing pool match on 7 October with a rotated facet – which might observe the victory over Chile through which a number of first-teamers have been rested, then every week off.
That will imply the group’s large hitters may have three weeks off earlier than their quarter-final towards the runner-up in Pool C – which appears to be like prone to be Fiji.
Fiji defeated England 30-22 at Twickenham of their closing World Cup warm-up and have crushed Australia at this event, so England should step up one other stage ought to they face the Pacific islanders.
Victory would arrange a semi-final towards the Pool A winners or the runners-up in Pool B – which because it stands could be France and South Africa respectively.
No matter occurs, it’s about to get a lot harder for England.
