When Eddie Jones was Steve Borthwick’s boss as England head coach, the vastly-experienced Australian explained to his assistant the concept of international rugby’s twin horizons. There is, always, the game immediately ahead, the importance of which must always be underlined to the squad. And then there is the second horizon of every cyclical sport: the World Cup, always occupying the plotting parts of a coaching staff’s minds.
It is that second horizon that has come more sharply into focus ahead of this game against Japan. Borthwick is always conscious of not getting too far ahead of himself, but, having made 10 changes and two more positional tweaks to his starting side from the win over Australia, spoke openly of the opportunity he had presented to some players. Of consideration, too, were the heavy workloads or recent injury returns for a Tommy Freeman or Fin Baxter – and that’s before even mentioning the injuries to Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, George Furbank, Ollie Chessum and Seb Atkinson, even it is hoped that the latter trio will be fit for New Zealand next week.
Amid such upheaval, change can present an ideal chance to look at a few fringe figures. Borthwick believes he knows between 26 and 28 of his likely squad for next year’s tournament – injury and incident permitting, of course. In many ways, then, this is an audition for those final five to seven spots. A need for individuals not to chase individual performance at the expense of that of the collective has been underlined by both assistant coach Kevin Sinfield and George Ford, who returns in place of a rested Fin Smith at fly half, this week.
“The more and the better we play as a team, the better you'll see of people individually,” Ford explained. “We're going like the other way, really. Let's do things together. Let's make sure we're on the same page. Let's do the unseen stuff. And off the back of that, you're going to get some brilliant individual moments in the game, rather than the other way round. Because if you go the other way round, it could end up being clunky and a little bit frustrating, so we don't want to go down that route.”
There are eerie echoes to another encounter against Japan when that balance was not expertly struck. A stuttering 2018 encounter at Twickenham became known as the “black-hole game” – Zach Mercer, Alex Lozowski, Alec Hepburn and Ted Hill are among those seldom sighted since, while Danny Care, substituted at half time, spent four years in exile before clawing his way back in. Ford, in a neat twist, was captain that day. He will surely recall a cautionary tale.
Borthwick’s selection is all the bolder for how it may change how England approach the game. While they retain a lock on the blindside in the ever more influential Alex Coles, the presence of Henry Pollock and Ben Earl in the same starting back row is a rarity. Two volume carriers and explosive athletes could dovetail well; equally, their last outing together came in an Ireland defeat in which England desperately lacked balance. “Henry has had an incredible impact off the bench. And what I want to ensure is that he's bringing that to the start of the game. Both Ben Earl and Henry are great over the ball and what we've got to make sure is that we haven't got all our back-rowers around the ruck. If you have all your back-rowers around the ruck, you're going to get hurt elsewhere.”
The problems of finding the right blend are also evidenced in a new-look backline. How will England adjust without such a live carrying threat at fly half? Freddie Steward is improving rapidly as an attacking link-man and decisive carrier, but is not necessarily a second playmaker in the George Furbank mould. Feyi-Waboso’s roaming, roving injections will also be much missed.
Still, though, opportunity knocks for both Max Ojomoh and Will Joseph. It is a year since Ojomoh won player of the match on his second cap against Argentina – having been clear work-ons, particularly in terms of the ground modern centres must now cover, Borthwick is keen to see him shine. “Max is one of the most talented players in English rugby. I think that’s undeniable. You can see what he can do with the ball in his hands,’ said Borthwick. ‘That’s one of the reasons why I’m looking forward to seeing him out there on Saturday.”
It is more than four years since Joseph, meanwhile, last pulled on an England shirt, and briefly, in Australia. He is rewarded for an outstanding start to the season with Gloucester, both at outside centre and on the wing “He starts on the wing but I’m encouraging him to get off his wing as much as he sees fit and is willing to do and able to do at the right opportunity. I see that he’s got an ability to go and find the ball and the big messaging is to back yourself.”
Japan are an evolving proposition with which to contend. Eddie Jones’s side are likely to bring a serious threat at the lineout, with Jack Cornelsen complementing the imposing lock duo of Harry Hockings and Warner Dearns as a third jumper, and jackalled more against Wales they have of late. Their 42 kicks per game are the most of any team in the Nations Championship, with good variety in that regard. England may nonetheless feel that they can enjoy a contestable kicking advantage, particularly against a Japanese back three that includes the diminutive but dangerous Kippei Ishida, and Riku Tokito, plucked from sevens to make his first professional 15-a-side appearance at Twickenham.
Jones, in typical fashion, has been up to old tricks this week, teasing a few curveballs. “We realise England are a nation we've never been able to beat,” he explained. “Everyone knows the record and we want to do something a bit different this week and we've trained like that, so I'm really pleased with the team.”
Eddie Howe came into Japan camp this week, while Jones also called in an old friend for help this week in the form of ex-England captain Dylan Hartley. It had been the hooker, Ford and Owen Farrell who really grasped the 2018 game and righted the ship on a day that threatened English embarrassment – under Jones, of course.
What chances of another scare? Perhaps slim given Japan’s relatively lowly standing. England, obviously, have half an eye on the All Blacks, and another on the Nations Championship permutations as the inaugural finals weekend draws nearer. But with the World Cup in mind, this could be a contest that has real significance long beyond that, too.
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