For England’s players, there is now certainty. After eight weeks in camp, an angsty performance against Wales and a restless Saturday night in a Cardiff hotel, the selection fretting is over; barring injury, illness or an act of God, Steve Borthwick has his chosen 33 for the World Cup.
Borthwick has named his squad a full three weeks before the World Rugby-imposed deadline. It is hoped that this clarity will be helpful; there was a sense in the England camp that the anxiety over selection among the players undermined their preparation for the trip to the Principality Stadium on Saturday. Now, those chosen have a clear run and peace of mind: Borthwick hopes his squad and preferred combinations have the time to build cohesion over the three remaining warm-up fixtures ahead of England’s tournament opener against Argentina on 9 September.
