Because, in the end, there is only one overarching question that matters: how can England win the World\u00a0Cup next year? The debate then becomes less about week-to-week contingencies and necessitates some longsighted vision. This next month is effectively Borthwick\u2019s last chance to identify his preferred combinations before the World Cup and that opportunity absolutely cannot be wasted.<\/p>\n
Nor can England afford a repeat of the turmoil that compromised their plans before the last World Cup. In the semi-final against South Africa<\/a>, there were a mere seven surviving starters \u2013 Freddie Steward, Jonny May, Manu Tuilagi, Owen Farrell, Jamie George, Maro Itoje and Tom Curry \u2013 and 10 of the matchday 23 from Eddie Jones\u2019s last hurrah as head coach against the Boks less than a year earlier. Given the circumstances, England did well\u00a0to scramble as far as they did.<\/p>\n Compare that with England\u2019s World Cup-winning squad in 2003 when only two players \u2013 Josh Lewsey and Trevor Woodman \u2013 were not involved in a thrilling victory against the Wallabies at Twickenham 11\u00a0months previously. While there was movement on the bench, where injuries played their part, 17 of Sir\u00a0Clive\u00a0Woodward\u2019s 22-man squad from November\u00a02002 featured at the World Cup.<\/p>\n Hence why this autumn matters so much in terms of nailing down certain positions. There has been some judicious filleting with Theo Dan, Ben Spencer, Ollie Lawrence and Elliot Daly nowhere to be seen. Charlie\u00a0Ewels, similarly, finds himself on the outer. Kepu Tuipulotu, Noah Caluori and Arthur Clark have earned the nod, with Cadan Murley and Ben Curry seeing off the respective challenges of the unlucky George Hendy and Fitz\u00a0Harding.<\/p>\n Tom Pearson, similarly, has profited from the injury to Chandler Cunningham\u2011South and Borthwick\u2019s reluctance, for now, to summon Max\u00a0Hicks, Courtney Lawes, Hoskins Sotutu, Ethan\u00a0Roots or Jack Clement, among others. The Bracken brothers, Jack and Charlie, must be close too. At least there is an A\u00a0international to encourage the aforementioned, but, equally, those not required in Bagshot this week now know something truly\u00a0special is required.<\/p>\n Steve Borthwick\u2019s squad has a three-day training camp in Bagshot this week. Photograph: David Davies\/PA<\/p>\n Borthwick has to settle, as a matter or urgency, on who should wear six, seven, eight, nine, 12 and 13 this time next year \u2013 not guys who might conceivably have the highest ceiling at some unspecified future date, but individuals capable of turbocharging an England side that, lest we forget, have lost five of their past seven Tests.<\/p>\n skip past newsletter promotion<\/a><\/p>\n Sign up to The Breakdown<\/p>\n The latest rugby union news and analysis, plus all the week’s action reviewed<\/p>\n after newsletter promotion<\/p>\n With any luck, then, Borthwick is not just thinking about the Australia game in isolation, but the opening two weekends as a package. If all 36 players in training this week have some involvement against Australia and Japan it would also help to separate the wheat from the chaff: the management then can identify a 23-man squad to face New\u00a0Zealand that, ideally, mirrors the one that will kick off the knockout stages of the World Cup less than 12 months from now.<\/p>\n Admittedly, that strategy becomes harder if Smith, Atkinson, Janse Van Rensburg and Pepper are unavailable. On the other hand, Marcus Smith is back in form<\/a> while Sale\u2019s Joe Marchant, if required, has plenty of experience. Alternatively, Gloucester\u2019s fleet-footed Will Joseph could just prove the answer to England\u2019s endless midfield conundrum; a partnership with his clubmate Atkinson would certainly work in terms of cohesion, pace and balance.<\/p>\n Anyone who has watched Northampton attack will also be eager to see the alert Archie McParland in an England No\u00a09 shirt sooner rather than later. Then, suddenly, with Itoje, Chessum, George Martin and Alex Coles all scrapping for a start at lock and Pollock, Ben\u00a0Earl, Tom Curry and Greg Fisilau vying for back-row prominence, England could be in clover. The time for experimentation, however, is almost over.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/1793127853_786_500.jpg\")
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