Delicate days for England as they head into November series | Robert Kitson

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With less than 12 months to the World Cup, Eddie Jones’s squad cannot afford to treat autumn Tests as mere sparring sessions

There are two schools of thought before the November internationals. According to Eddie Jones, the Tests are mere sparring sessions as preparation for next year’s World Cup in Japan. Those who have paid serious money to watch the All Blacks tackle England and Ireland beg to differ, preferring here and now evidence to pie in the sky potential.

The truth lies somewhere in the middle. Rare is the northern hemisphere side who drag their feet through the autumn leaves and still go on to conquer the world within 12 months. There is a particularly strong correlation between England’s November form and their World Cup destiny stretching back years.

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from The Guardian https://ift.tt/2PvLulh

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