Lawrence Dallaglio issues England World Cup challenge after all-conquering Quilter Nations Series
Under Steve Borthwick, England have won 11 consecutive Test matches, knocking off Rugby Championship trio Australia, Argentina and New Zealand during the Quilter Nations Series.
England have shown they are the best of the rest behind all-conquering South Africa but Lawrence Dallaglio is now urging them that it is time to win some silverware.
Under Steve Borthwick, England have won 11 consecutive Test matches, knocking off Rugby Championship trio Australia, Argentina and New Zealand during the Quilter Nations Series.
The win over the All Blacks was their first since the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the results have catapulted England up to third in the world rankings.
And while double World Cup winners South Africa are well clear at the top, former England skipper Dallaglio believes that by being bold, Borthwick has England next in line.
“It’s been a really pleasant four weeks at Twickenham, just like the old days really,” said Dallaglio, who is part of the TV team delivering the Champions and Challenge Cup for Premier Sports this season.
“They are certainly on the up, they have momentum behind them, they have won 11 games, but more significantly, they are beating sides above them and sides they struggled to beat in recent times.
“I think selection has been on the money and that is important in the game of rugby, to pick the right players and manoeuvre them and they are winning games that last year they were losing.
“I think there is a big gap between South Africa and everyone else. But England are definitely at the front of the chasing pack.
“I think Steve has been bold this year. When you lose games of rugby, as a player or a coach, there is a lot of soul searching that goes on and a lot of sleepless nights. He would have looked at the coaching group and the playing squad and would admit he made a few mistakes last year. Not only have the players put their hand up and taken ownership, but the coaching group have.
“He’s looked at last autumn where we lost to the All Blacks and Australia in the last 10 minutes, and thought I’m not going to make that mistake again, I’m going to make sure I’ve got my best team on the field at the end of the game.
“He was very un-Borthers like in his selection, very bold, very brave, he named the team against the All Blacks on Tuesday, he’s never done that!”
Bold selections like handing George Ford the keys at fly-half, or keeping British & Irish Lions like Ellis Genge, Tom Curry and Henry Pollock on the bench have been rewarded with strong showings this November.
England will enter the Guinness Six Nations as the top-ranked team in the northern hemisphere, although Dallaglio admits that reigning champions France are probably favourites, by virtue of hosting both Ireland and England in 2026.
Even so, the 2003 World Cup winner believes that this is the time for England to strike as they build towards a bid for global domination in Australia, 24 years after he was part of the side that triumphed Down Under.
He added: “I think they go into the Six Nations as second favourites and if they continue on the trajectory they are on, they could end up in Paris for a winner-takes-all clash.
“What they have found is a depth to their squad which they hadn’t had for a while. They will realise now that if they don’t deliver performances individually, they will be replaced in the team.
“A year or two years ago, players were getting continually off the back of sub-standard performances and that can’t happen now. They are now starting to look a side who could challenge to go on and win a World Cup. Of the teams I saw, other than South Africa, they look a bit further ahead in their development than any other side.
“Winning is a habit and a mentality. When that group wins in the autumn series, they will go away and work even harder now. It gives you that internal belief in everything you are doing.”
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