England brings steely certainty as it eyes second final on trot

There is a temptation, and a certain realism, to look at England’s team selection as being designed to counter South Africa.

Maro Itoje poses in Paris ahead of the World Cup semi-final with South Africa. Picture: Getty Images.

On this equivalent day four years ago, Maro Itoje was in a wide corridor at England’s Disneyland Tokyo hotel stating with unerring conviction that his team would defeat New Zealand in the World Cup semi-final.

It went beyond words. There was something in his body language, in his manner, in his tone that left those in his presence convinced something was brewing.

“I respect what New Zealand have done but I don’t see them as a team that is going to beat us,” Itoje said. “To be the man, you’ve got to beat the man.” England duly went and blasted the All Blacks from the outset and dethroned the world champions.

The setting was different this time; less personal, with Itoje squeezed into a conference room at the French Institute of Sport. But once again the Saracens lock was presented as the barometer of the England team before a World Cup semi-final against the reigning champions.

Itoje’s tone was also different. Calmer perhaps, more controlled. Four years ago you felt he was ready to play on the Thursday night, but his message was exactly the same: a defiant demystifying of South Africa and a determination that England would seize the day.

“We’ve played them twice since 2019; they’ve won one, we’ve won one,” Itoje said. “We’re not talking about a team that has never lost. They are a good team but so are we. I fully expect to be celebrating on Saturday night.”

Maro Itoje runs the ball in the quarter-final against Fiji. Picture: Getty Images.

The imagery Eddie Jones used to set the tone in 2019 was the ceremonial slicing of a Kiwi fruit with a samurai sword.

Steve Borthwick is also a coach who likes visual cues, although his tend to be subliminal. At Leicester Tigers he had highlights playing on screens all around the training ground that would reinforce that week’s key message. With England he has been using posters and messaging around camp.

It would be no surprise if we learnt down the line that Borthwick had picked out examples this week of when England players had got the better of their opponents, or were part of a team who did. Itoje against Eben Etzebeth in the first Test of the 2021 British & Irish Lions tour, for example. The Springboks lock is arguably the best in the world right now and has usually edged his duels but there was a day two years ago, in an empty Cape Town Stadium, when Itoje prevailed. “I’m not looking for any respect from my opposition,” Itoje said pointedly. To do so would be to assume a level of inferiority.

There is a temptation, and a certain realism, to look at England’s team selection as being designed to counter South Africa: Joe Marler at loose-head prop, George Martin in the second row and Freddie Steward at full back.

But England’s approach against South Africa cannot be one of containment. England view their three changes as being proactive, not only for managing the first hour but giving them a bench packed with dynamism and energy to get the better of the Springboks’ famous “Bomb Squad” of second-half reinforcements. England are acutely aware that the last 20 minutes, or Q4 as Borthwick calls it, will be “vital”.

However, it only takes on importance if England are still in the game. They have chosen their two best scrummaging props in Marler and Dan Cole, the man whose England career looked to have been ended by the Springboks in the 2019 World Cup final. When Borthwick brought him back to the England side, Cole won a penalty in his first scrum. There is a man with a point to prove.

Marler has been picked because he is the best English loose-head at keeping his opposite man in check. In this case he is up against Frans Malherbe. When Marler is on the field for Harlequins, they concede a penalty or free kick on opposition ball 16.9 per cent of the time. When he is not playing, that figure leaps to 29.1 per cent.

Oddly, the England front row of Marler and Cole with Jamie George at hooker have started only one Test together, despite the trio boasting a combined tally of 275 caps. The second-row combination of Itoje and Martin also have only one Test start together, plus the last ten minutes against Fiji in the quarter-final.

England will back their fitness. It is understood their training load through August was 40 per cent higher than was required to defeat Fiji in the quarter-final.

“We haven’t seen the best of us yet,” Itoje said. “It is about us seizing the moment.” Clearly, South Africa will have a lot to say about that. They are a special team who will be in England’s face from the outset. But Borthwick’s men have vowed not to be deferential.

The Times