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Ford landed three drop-goals as England opened the tournament with a 27-10 rout of Argentina in Marseille last Saturday.<\/p>\n
It was a try that rather summed it all up. For 56 minutes, England and Japan had stumbled about, frantic, flustered and fumbling in the Nice heat. An error-ridden contest hung in the balance \u2013 until Joe Marler used his head.<\/p>\n
It was fortuitous in nature, as it felt like it had to be on a night like this. An errant pass, a flick of Will Stuart\u2019s shoulder and a bounce off the bonce. Courtney Lawes collected the refuse and England salvaged the situation. Maro Itoje had promised they were prepared to win by any means necessary but few expected them to need to put an equally error-prone Japan away.<\/p>\n
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England 34-12 Japan: England escaped with a bonus-point victory but late tries could not hide the flaws apparent<\/p>\n
Lewis Ludlam has urged booing fans to keep the faith after admitting that England could have shown more enterprise in their 34-12 World Cup victory over Japan.<\/p>\n
Head coach Steve Borthwick declared it was job done as England took a stranglehold on Pool D through a bonus-point win, but after the 14-man rout of Argentina it felt like a backwards step had been taken on a messy evening at the Stade de Nice.<\/p>\n
Early in the third quarter supporters groaned when Alex Mitchell \u2013 a live-wire scrum-half whose instinct is to run \u2013 booted the ball dead and the jeering grew in volume when the kicking continued.<\/p>\n
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Early in the third quarter supporters groaned when Alex Mitchell booted the ball dead and the jeering grew in volume when the kicking continued.<\/p>\n
Marcus Smith will provide a cutting edge from full-back as England look to give their attack lift off in their World Cup clash with Chile in Lille.<\/p>\n
Harlequins fly-half Smith starts in the number 15 jersey for the first time having appeared as a replacement in the previous four Tests, providing a lively counter-attacking threat and extra playmaking option.<\/p>\n
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Harlequins fly-half Smith starts in the number 15 jersey for the first time having appeared as a replacement in the previous four Tests.<\/p>\n
Winning ugly, it is said, is a hallmark of great sides, but it can be an indicator of an average one, too. What, then, are England, who have one foot in the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals after beating Japan? For 60 minutes on Sunday, they produced a performance that only a mother could love \u2013 but a final quarter acceleration ensured they took five pool points away from a tricky evening.<\/p>\n
It may depend on how you view a Rorschach contest of a game and the merits of England\u2019s kick pressure strategy. Take the positives, as England were understandably inclined to afterwards, and a bonus point win was job very much done. Japan are not the force of four years ago but produced a stern defensive showing for good periods of the fixture. Their trademark attacking invention tested England\u2019s own ramparts, but these held firm \u2013 one try conceded in two games is an excellent return.<\/p>\n
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England\u2019s kick pressure strategy may be unpopular with some supporters but appears to be here to stay <\/p>\n
Lock Ollie Chessum has warned that England cannot afford to \u201csleepwalk\u201d into their next Rugby World Cup pool fixture against Chile.<\/p>\n
After two fixtures in the south of France, England will make a shorter trip from their Le Touquet training base across the north of the country to Lille for their third Pool D fixture on Saturday.<\/p>\n
World Cup debutants Chile are, on paper, the weakest of the five nations in the pool, but the South Americans have caused problems for Japan and Samoa in their opening two matches in France.<\/p>\n
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A number of smaller nations have impressed at this World Cup so far <\/p>\n
For Steve Borthwick, it is a problem of plenty. In George Ford, Owen Farrell and Marcus Smith, the England head coach has three high-class fly halves \u2013 the question for the remainder of this Rugby World Cup is how best to utilise them.<\/p>\n
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Farrell returns from his ban to captain England against Chile but Ford\u2019s performances at the Rugby World Cup pose a conundrum <\/p>\n
\u201cHe’s a great influence in the squad,\u201d he said about the Saracens player. \u201cWhether he is on the field or not, he’s a brilliant influence. He’s played in the very biggest games. I thought he did well last week and has trained even sharper this week.”<\/p>\n
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Billy Vunipola is expected to return from suspension in England\u2019s meeting with Japan (Niall Carson\/PA).<\/p>\n
“I don’t detach myself at all. I’m knackered by the end,\u201d the captain said. \u201cI wouldn’t describe myself as a good watcher – I feel involved and every emotion that goes with it, sometimes even more so than if I was playing. I wouldn’t say I am unbelievably loud, it’s more the emotion of the game. I feel like I go through it all the time.”<\/p>\n
“I’m excited to play for this team. We are in a brilliant position as we stand here and we want to kick on. I want to be part of it,\u201d Farrell said, eager to get back on the pitch. <\/p>\n
“I think we have played very good, winning rugby. The team has figured out ways to impose themselves on the game and figured out how to close off games, which is a big plus. We always want to improve, there is always stuff you can do better. We are excited to get into it. Talking about the past, we are trying to deal with what is here now. In the first two games, we’ve figured out good ways to win the game,\u201d he added. <\/p>\n