England should have an “easy ride” at the World Cup in the favourable half of the draw, according to Steve Hansen but despite that advantage Steve Borthwick’s side do not feature on his list of contenders for the Webb Ellis Cup.
Borthwick’s side are currently ranked sixth in the world and are fifth favourites with the bookmakers after a disappointing Six Nations campaign following the sacking of Eddie Jones. With the top five in the world – Ireland, France, New Zealand, South Africa and Scotland – all in the same half of the draw and three of those teams in the same pool – Hansen believes England, as well as Jones’s Australia, have a significant advantage.
