It is not Steve Borthwick’s style, but it would be quite the two-fingered salute to England’s critics for the returning Owen Farrell, George Ford and Marcus Smith to all be unleashed against Chile on Saturday from the start. It would be a radical selection – and there is not much radical about this England management – but “not unthinkable”, according to the attack coach Richard Wigglesworth before a selection meeting on Monday afternoon.
Either way, we can safely say there will be changes with England putting one foot and a few toes into the quarter-finals with their uninspiring victory against Japan, but more than that Farrell is available again after a four-match ban.
