Kevin Sinfield has stressed the importance of studying England’s southern hemisphere counterparts, with New Zealand hosting South Africa in a blockbuster clash on Saturday, but the defence coach insists he does not care who his side face at the World Cup.
England are widely considered to be on the easier side of the draw, in the opposite half to France, New Zealand, Ireland and South Africa – the top four sides in the world – and would avoid those teams until the semi-finals. Last weekend’s opening matches of the Rugby Championship only highlighted the disparity, with New Zealand thumping Argentina, who are in England’s pool, and South Africa thrashing Eddie Jones’s Australia – potential quarter-final opponents for Steve Borthwick’s side.
