Kevin Sinfield and Steve Borthwick are a good foil for each other in the England coaching set-up.
They took Leicester from the bottom to the top, winning the Premiership, then they have carried England through a very difficult year.
England are now in a much better position at the end of this Rugby World Cup, and if they can finish third that will be a good return from the competition.
Everyone who knows Sinfield talks about what an incredible man he is, and that he is adept at motivating players to buy into a cause and rally round each other in a squad. He has made England’s defence an area of personal pride.
When England lost to Fiji 30-22 at Twickenham in August, their third defeat in four warm-up matches raised concerns about the World Cup.
They had the desire to put it in for Sinfield and to pay him back.
A number of the players felt they had let Sinfield down with that performance and result. Part of the players’ response going forward was of course to right the wrongs for the team and the World Cup, but also to repay Sinfield.
The feeling was that the defence coach was giving them everything he had, and that they perhaps had not gone out and delivered the plan.
I think we have seen across this tournament that the players have very much given back, that they had the desire to put it in for Sinfield and to pay him back.
There have been some suggestions he may move on after the World Cup. If he were to decide to do that, then it will be absolutely fair to say he has had an immediate impact on this England team.
England’s players will have had to work hard to recover both physically and mentally from last weekend’s agonising 16-15 semi-final defeat by South Africa.
The third-place play-off is not the match anyone wants to play, but once teams are in it, they have to give their all. If England can win this match, they can leave the squad in a really good place heading into 2024.
Selecting Marcus Smith at full-back and Henry Arundell on the wing is a definite nod to the future, and to what is possible going forward. It will be interesting to see how Freddie Steward goes on the wing, and how he and Smith combine in the backfield on fielding high balls and also the kick-chase.
Owen Farrell has struck up a good partnership with Smith at 15 in this tournament. Smith’s presence in the back three as another playmaker should hopefully open up chances for the wingers. And the chance to see Arundell again should be exciting for England fans.
The former London Irish star will be out there to show that his five tries against Chile were just the start to his Test career.
This will be a difficult night for England, with Argentina seeking revenge for their 27-10 defeat by the Red Rose men in the tournament’s opening round. But if England can play well, perform and win this match, then they can finish the tournament on a very positive note.
The chance to end the competition with a medal, then to take a lap of honour in front of fans, friends and family is a definite motivating factor.
That would be a fitting way to go out for some of these players who might not wear an England shirt again.
