England’s World Cup guide: Key players, wild cards, redemption possibilities

Can England avoid embarrassment and make it out of their pool? Here’s everything you could want to know about England’s World Cup campaign.

Captain: Owen Farrell | Head Coach: Steve Borthwick | Rankings: 6 | RWC Pool: D

ALSO READ: Rankings: Springboks make big jump, All Blacks slip to fourth

ENGLAND’S POOL FIXTURES

• Argentina: Saturday, 9 September
• Japan: Sunday, 17 September
• Chile: Saturday, 23 September
• Samoa: Saturday, 7 October

WORLD CUP PREVIOUS RESULTS

England has reached the highest number of finals (4), sharing this record with New Zealand. However, they have only been crowned champs once. 

• 1987: QUARTERS
• 1991: RUNNERS UP
• 1995: FOURTH
• 1999: QUARTERS
• 2003: CHAMPIONS
• 2007: RUNNERS UP
• 2011: QUARTERS
• 2015: GROUP STAGES
• 2019: RUNNERS UP

ALSO READ: Australia’s Rugby World Cup guide: Key players, secret weapons, hidden talents

ENGLISH WORLD CUP SQUAD

Props: Dan Cole(102), Ellis Genge(52), Joe Marler(82), Bevan Rodd(3), Kyle Sinckler(63), Will Stuart(29)

Hookers: Theo Dan(3), Jamie George(79), Jack Walker(4)

Second Row: Ollie Chessum(11), Maro Itoje(70), Courtney Lawes(100), George Martin(3), David Ribbans(8)

Back Row: Tom Curry(45), Ben Earl(18), Lewis Ludlam(21), Billy Vunipola(70), Jack Willis(13)

Scrumhalves: Danny Care(90), Alex Mitchell(6), Ben Youngs(124)

Fly Halves: Owen Farrell(107), George Ford(85), Marcus Smith(24)

Centres: Elliot Daly(59), Ollie Lawrence(14), Joe Marchant(19), Manu Tuilagi(53)

Outside Backs: Henry Arundell(8), Max Malins(21), Freddie Steward(26), Jonny May(73)

Total Caps: 1354

STAR PLAYERS

• Maro Itoje is the guy holding down the fort for England, taking charge of everything from his lineout expertise to his impressive jackling skills. He’s a master of getting under opponents’ skin and plays a pivotal role in the England team.
• England captain Owen Farrell will miss the start of the RWC due to suspension but assuming he can adjust his tackle height and wrapping of his arms will be vital for England’s chance of making it through the pool stages and beyond.

• Curry is a tireless workhorse and will be crucial for them this campaign.

ALSO READ: France’s Rugby World Cup Guide: Key players, dark horses and gold medal ambitions

WORLD CUP WILD CARDS

In rugby there is no replacement for raw speed and Racing’s Henry Arundell has boatloads of it. Reportedly clocking a 100m time of 10.9 seconds, he is nothing short of blistering. 

Freddie Steward is another young English back you definitely want to keep an eye on. He’s a beast in the air, towering at 196cm, and a real tough nut to crack when it comes to high balls.

STRENGTHS

One of England’s notable strengths lies in the substantial number of players from the 2019 RWC final squad who remain in the current squad (14). These are proven winners and can possibly turn things around for England.

ALSO READ: Springbok’s World Cup Guide: Key players, Wild Cards, Unexpected Heroes

WEAKNESSES

That recent stumble against Fiji has got people raising their eyebrows at England’s coaching game. The lack of a solid strategy and a clear game plan was pretty obvious, pointing out some possible hiccups in how the team prepped and played. This loss is like a neon sign flashing that they need a sharper coaching approach, one that can bring out the best in the team and get them back on track.

Will England make it out of the pool stages this tournament? Let us know in the comments below.