Back in the southern hemisphere it is easy to imagine Eddie Jones leaning back in his chair and smiling wryly. We will never know exactly what England squad the previous head coach would have chosen but he will definitely recognise the theme running through it. Let’s just say those hoping Jones’s exit would release a fizzing new sense of red-rose adventure with an enticing top note of “Bazball” are still waiting for the cork to burst from the bottle.
England’s 33-man Rugby World Cup party for France is certainly not one to encourage much champagne-fuelled excitement among connoisseurs of expansive, enterprising rugby. If last Saturday in Cardiff is any guide, England appear primarily intent on hoofing it high, chasing hard, relying on their set piece and kicking their goals. Nothing wrong with that if it is all you’ve got. But it is not a formula that, on its own, will win a modern World Cup against top-level opposition.
