England's rugby players face a grueling schedule, having been in South Africa on Sunday, heading to South America next Monday, and now preparing in sub-Saharan Surrey for a match against Fiji in Liverpool this Saturday. Ironically, Bagshot is warmer than Suva this week, though lacking coral reefs and fresh coconuts.
Rebound from Springboks Defeat
Despite the changing backdrop, the disappointment of the 45-21 loss to the Springboks in Johannesburg last weekend lingers. Victory at Everton's Hill Dickinson Stadium would not fix everything overnight, but the camp acknowledges the need for a strong response on Saturday.
England will be without injured players Beno Obano (hamstring) and Cadan Murley (shoulder), leading to call-ups for Manny Iyogun and Chandler Cunningham-South. Freddie Steward is available for selection, and Steve Borthwick appears reluctant to rest key forwards at the end of a long season. Jamie George is set to captain the side again as England aim to avoid a sixth consecutive Test defeat with a heavily rotated lineup.
Janse van Rensburg's Potential Debut
Newly qualified Benhard Janse van Rensburg is likely to feature when England announce their starting team on Thursday. Defence coach Richard Wigglesworth praised the South Africa-born centre: “He brings an all-court game, doesn’t he? I enjoy how he wants to hit and loves the physical side of the game, but he also wants the ball on the other side. If he gets a chance I’m sure that’s what he’ll show us as well.”
Wigglesworth, from Lancashire, is eager to return to the north-west, where Test rugby is rare. “I’m pretty passionate about rugby in the north and what can be done there,” he said. However, he noted that few northern converts will be won if England do not significantly improve in several areas.
Key Areas for Improvement
Wigglesworth highlighted the need for more contestable kicking success, greater accuracy, and sharper decision-making, especially against a Fiji side that thrives on loose balls and poor defending. “There was a lot of effort and endeavour [against South Africa],” he said. “But for 10 minutes at the start of each half we weren’t good enough, and a good team exposes that. They were very accurate and we weren’t, and they ended up with all the possession and momentum. The middle part of the match didn’t look like that, but it’s an 80-minute game.”
The management aims to reduce the penalty count and keep 15 players on the field, after finishing the Ellis Park game with 13 due to yellow cards for Tommy Freeman and Guy Pepper. “In the Six Nations there was some breakdown decision making that is going to cost you in a Test match. These ones [against South Africa] were high force, high speed. It’s split-second stuff. These are the lessons that as a young team, as individuals, you have to remember. They didn’t need a bollocking, but that doesn’t mean we’ve not addressed and debriefed it as we always do.”
Wigglesworth added: “I’ve lost for England and I know a bit about what they might be carrying, so they don’t need the guy walking around with a sour face going: ‘Can’t believe we did this and that.’ They need support and good coaching. Is that a prod sometimes? Absolutely, but sometimes it’s an arm around the shoulder. Our job as coaches is to give them what they need, not what we want.”
