England have long since named their World Cup squad, the group is – more or less – healthy, and there was a resounding victory for much of the perceived first XV against Ireland, so what learnings are left to find out in the side’s final Italian challenge on Friday?
Plenty of the players who are roundly considered to provide depth for England out in Japan later this month were utilised against Wales, with Eddie Jones’ side splitting those back-to-back fixtures one apiece with their local rivals, and key players, such as Maro Itoje, Manu Tuilagi, Billy Vunipola and Owen Farrell, have been kept fit and look in good form heading into the tournament.
Conversely, Italy’s preparations for the World Cup have not gone so smoothly. Conor O’Shea’s side lost to Ireland in their opener in Dublin before succumbing rather abjectly to a 47-19 loss at the hands of France this past weekend. Sandwiched in between those two losses was a morale-boosting 85-15 victory over Russia, although that result arguably says more about where Russia are right now than it does about Italy.
Sitting in a pool with New Zealand and South Africa, O’Shea and Italy will know that they need to take a major scalp if they are to have any chance of progressing to the knockout rounds and in that regard, England are suitable opposition this Friday in Newcastle, even if Jones opts to rest many of his frontline troops.
With Italy, you would assume, set to go hard at the fixture and give themselves some momentum before they head out to Japan, this could prove to be a further solid test of where England are with the depth options in the current squad.