Join the Miguel Delaney team: Inside Football Get exclusive insights and behind-the scenes access to the Miguel Delaney: inside newsletter Football Join the Miguel Delaney Inside newsletter Football This is a busy and stressful time for a family with English and Australian loyalty. A travelling menagerie has travelled to the north in order to play their favorite foes. In rugby union, rugby league and football the Kangaroos have done well, while the Matildas are less successful. The mocking woodworms announce an Ashes in Australia and accompanying phony war. Heck, even Formula One title competitors Lando norris and Oscar Piastri at McLaren are the best of Anglo and Australian rivals. The England players who traveled with the Lions this summer were greeted by a welcoming and hostile welcome, which has whetted the appetite of what the Poms may encounter when they return to Australia for the Rugby World Cup in 2027. Steve Borthwick met Brendon McCullum recently to discuss the Ashes and wish his team well as they attempt to conquer Australia once again in their backyard. open image in galleryImmanuel Feyi-Waboso will hope for another impressive outing on the wing at Twickenham (David Davies/PA Wire)An era-defining challenge may not be quite so imminent for Borthwick’s side, but this campaign would seem to mark the start of a different phase of the team’s development. If the first two years of this World Cup cycle has been a feeling-and-finding-out process, there is recognition that England need to kick on and kick up a gear if they are to fully establish themselves as contenders for the tournament in two years. That period, Borthwick and his coaches understand, will fly by – and there has been a shift in the language used by senior members of the squad and staff as England target the twin goals of winning now and best preparing for success in 2027.open image in gallerySteve Borthwick has always been a bolder, more ambitious selector than some would suggest (PA Wire)It is for this reason that Tom Willis – still available despite agreeing a switch to the Top 14 at the end of the season – has been jettisoned, with Borthwick not wishing to put time into those who are not fully committed to their World Cup quest. Borthwick’s goal is to develop his ideal identity. If that means England are without their bar-room brawler, then so be it. While he is data-driven and will continue to be a bolder, ambitious selector, Borthwick has made a conscious effort to correct misconceptions about him. He has always been more ambitious than others would think, but he remains data-driven. The identity will be based on following the trends in Test rugby. Contestable kicks are very popular, and a mobile mischievous backrow with a wealth of back-row resources is a must. The desire to weaponise a bench is also part of that, as South Africa, France and others have done so well, and Tommy Freeman will be put on a long-delayed midfield development path. Lee Blackett’s and Byron McGuigan’s additions to a bolstered team of coaches further clarifies their new sense of direction. MakoVunipolaand Danny Care have both commented on the intensity of training in England. “I think, particularly for guys at the top, those four-year cycles split into two and two,” captain Maro Itoje explained. “You want to be part of the Lions tour and part of the World Cup. They are the two big international landmarks where most of the world’s attention is on rugby in those periods. “We want to do really well in 2027. But in order for us to do that and have the best chance, we have these really important games in the build-up. You don’t just rock up to a World Cup and win. Often, a World Cup is a reflection of your body of work. Now we are trying to put together our body of work for that.open image in galleryMaro Itoje is confident about England’s direction (PA Wire)“The direction of travel is incredibly exciting and for someone like me, at my stage of my career, it gives me so much motivation to keep going, but it also gives me belief that this team is moving in the right direction. We need to be consistent, and we need to continue to build over time, but I think there’s no mountain we can’t climb.” The Wallabies were the ones who delivered one of Borthwick’s most frustrating days last November, with the home side straying from their strategy and being dragged into an end-to-end romp, which was ultimately edged out by Max Jorgensen’s last gasp try. It was the Wallabies who last November delivered one of Borthwick’s most frustrating days, the home side straying from their strategy and being dragged into an end-to-end romp, eventually edged most magnificently by Max Jorgensen’s last-gasp try.open image in galleryMax Jorgensen snatched last-gasp victory for Australia last year (Action Images/Reuters)It was a result that perhaps proved the first indicator of real growth under Joe Schmidt for the Wallabies. The veteran coach’s tenure will end after this European tour, but there can be no doubting that the foundations torn away by his predecessor, Eddie Jones, are back in place for the incoming Les Kiss to build on. While the Rugby Championship and Lions series have again proved Australia consistently inconsistent, they now have the aptitude and attitude to mix it with the world’s best. In order to achieve another Twickenham victory, the time spent together in recent months and a weekend trip to Tokyo may have been necessary. This fixture falls outside of the Test window specified in World Rugby’s Regulation 9, meaning Len Ikitau and Tom Hooper, new Chiefs, are acquainting themselves with Exeter and Will Skelton remains at La Rochelle – it is a shame not to have both sides at full strength, but commercially, an extra international is welcome.open image in galleryTane Edmed starts at fly-half for Australia at Allianz Stadium (Getty)Also absent, and heightening the focus on a problem position for Schmidt, is James O’Connor, who may yet have played his last Wallabies Test after answering an SOS earlier this year. No doubt, Australia are in need of a long-term solution at fly-half – having moved to bring Carter Gordon back from the NRL, a thigh injury will delay his return by a week at least. Tane Edmed will wear the No. 10 once again, as he was semi-professional in Sydney this year. “All we can do is keep investing in the people we’ve got,” Schmidt said “You learn from experiences, and that allows you to get better – and getting better is never linear either. There are going to be tough moments for Tane, and we know that, and there are going to be some really good moments.”Australia is a country with a wealth of backline athletes. But how they crave playmaking options at home. Borthwick’s team will be reliant on Marcus Smith as well as Fin Smith and George Ford for the next two years. But it’s not surprising that Ford has been retained, given his success in Argentina with a group of younger players. After spending the last year in tears over narrow losses to world-class nations, England now arrive with seven consecutive victories. It would be a huge blow to lose that momentum as the World Cup’s long run begins. Open image in galleryEngland hope to continue the momentum started earlier this year. (Getty).“I reckon you could pick three XVs and all three of them could go this autumn and win four from four,” Ben Earl declared last week. “That is where England is at right now, and that’s awesome. Eighty per cent of this group has been together since this time last year, and that has to mean something for us now. We have to start picking up where we left off rather than starting from square one again.”
2025-11-01 06:00:00
Successful autumn can ignite England’s World Cup charge – but they must beware Australia trap
