Prix du Jockey Club hero Ace Impact is set to head straight to the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe following his recent victory at Deauville.

The Jean-Claude Rouget-trained son of Cracksman emphatically scooped Classic honours at Chantilly and took his record to a perfect five out of five when returning from a short break to down Joseph O’Brien’s Al Riffa on the Normandy coast.

That cosy victory gave Rouget back-to-back triumphs in the Prix Guillaume d’Ornano and he looks to have found the perfect candidate to bid for his second victory in Europe’s richest middle-distance contest, a race for which Ace Impact is the general 7-2 favourite.

Rouget sent Sottsass to the Prix Niel before finishing third in the Arc in 2019, while the Irish Champion Stakes was used to set him up for his big-race triumph in the French capital 12 months later.

Rouget also used the Leopardstown Group One to prepare French Derby champion Vadeni for Arc duty last season, with the Aga Khan’s colt finishing third in Dublin before taking the runner-up spot behind Alpinista in the Bois de Boulogne.

However, October 1 has long been circled on the calendar of connections and they are happy that Ace Impact will be seen next in ParisLongchamp in perfect order as they continue to dream of Arc glory.

“We are very pleased with him since his run in the Prix Guillaume d’Ornano,” said Pauline Chehboub, racing manager for her family’s Gousserie Racing operation, who purchased 50 per cent of the colt from Serge Stempniak after the Prix du Jockey Club.

“He is a very unique horse and every time he comes to the races it feels like he loves it. We are very fortunate to be a part of this champion.

“His target since the French Derby, like Jean-Claude Rouget announced, is the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, so we follow the plan.

“He is the Arc favourite, unbeaten and his limits are unknown. The dream continues.”

Bayern Munich captain Manuel Neuer has returned to training for the first time since breaking his leg last December.

The 37-year-old goalkeeper was on holiday after Germany’s exit from the World Cup at the group stage and suffered the injury skiing, forcing him to have surgery.

He was immediately ruled out for the season, with Bayern bringing in Switzerland keeper Yann Sommer during the January window – who has since left to join Inter Milan.

A Bayern statement read: “Manuel Neuer is back with the FC Bayern goalkeeper team on the pitch.

“In Monday morning’s training session for the players who didn’t start against FC Augsburg on Sunday, the 37-year-old captain completed a session with his goalkeeping colleagues for the first time since breaking his lower right leg.

“Neuer has been sidelined since sustaining the injury in December 2022 but has now taken the next step on the comeback trail.”

Tony Martin’s runners are always feared when making trips to England and his Belgoprince produced a devastating display in Epsom’s Betfred Nifty Fifty Amateurs’ Derby Handicap to enhance that reputation as jockey Billy Coonan enjoyed his biggest day in the saddle.

It was not a shock that one of the visitors from Ireland took home the prestigious first prize, but many expected the winner to be the John and Thomas Kiely-trained Liberated Light who was sent off the 11-4 favourite in the hands Cheltenham Festival-winning jockey John Gleeson.

However, despite travelling with supreme confidence into the home straight, Gleeson and his mount had no answer to Belgoprince who forced his way to the front in the hands of 19-year-old Coonan at the two-furlong pole and then surged clear to register an emphatic 11-length success over his fellow Irish raider at odds of 12-1.

Coonan said: “It is surreal. I came over from Ireland this morning. Tony rang me on Saturday morning saying ‘I’ve got a ride for you’. It is just great. We thought we had a bit of a chance, but I didn’t think it would be that easy.

“I wanted to get the rail, but I was one off the rail. Hitting the two (furlong pole) he was travelling so well I went to the lead. He just hit the front running so I let him go and he got the job done.

“It is massive. I’ve only ever had one winner before, so it is extra special to get one here. It means a lot.”

While Coonan’s impending university studies will take over from his duties in the saddle, he will try to keep his hand in with his riding.

Coonan added: “I had my first ride last year at the Galway Festival and I’ve been in with Tony Martin most days of the week. I’m just delighted just to get a winner for him.

“I live over in Maynooth in County Kildare and I’m going to university in September. I’m going to study commerce at the University of Galway so it will be back to the books, but I will try to ride at the same time.”

Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr faces a spell on the sidelines after damaging a hamstring.

Vinicius came off injured after 18 minutes of Real’s 1-0 LaLiga win at Celta Vigo on Friday.

“After the tests carried out on our player Vini. Jr, by the Real Madrid medical services, (he) has been diagnosed with an injury to the right biceps femoris muscle,” read a club statement.

“His progress will be monitored.”

The 23-year-old Brazilian is set to miss Real’s final game before the international break at home to Getafe.

There also fears Vinicius could now be absent for Real’s league games against Real Sociedad and city rivals Atletico after the international break, as well as the start of their Champions League campaign next month.

Adam West is mulling over his options for shock Nunthorpe winner Live In The Dream, with both ParisLongchamp and Keeneland possible stopping points en route to the Breeders’ Cup.

The flying four-year-old booked his ticket to the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint when scorching up the Knavesmire to scoop Group One glory on his first appearance in that grade.

And with connections also getting their first top-level success, they are now dreaming of reliving that fantastic afternoon in York at Santa Anita on November 4.

Epsom-based West is looking at the best path to America later in the season with Steve and Jolene De’Lemos’ pride and joy, who has reportedly bounced out of his trip to York.

“He’s come out of the race really well and if there was another race for him next week I would be considering it,” said West.

“He really enjoyed it and thrived off all the attention. They 100 per cent know when they have done well and he probably had his head down a little after Deauville. But he thrived off it and all the attention he got and even with the long journey home the next day he had his ears pricked and was soaking it all in more than me probably.”

With options limited close to home, West may have to head overseas for Live In The Dream’s Breeders’ Cup tune-up.

The gelding holds an entry for the Prix de l’Abbaye on October 1 while an early venture to America for the $350,000 Woodford Stakes – which has been won by Golden Pal in the past two seasons – are both on the radar despite presenting their respective pros and cons.

“We would only consider the Abbaye if we had an unusually dry September,” explained West.

“I would consider good to soft with him. The problem isn’t so much ground, he’s versatile in terms of ground – it’s more keeping his confidence high along with his physical fitness.

“The Abbaye is OK time-wise to see him into the Breeders’ Cup well so it would be a case of going there to bring him on back to his fighting weight. But you have to balance that with not knocking his confidence and not running him on anything that is likely to cause a strain or stress a muscle or anything.”

He added: “There is a very loose option to go to Keeneland for a five-and-a-half-furlong race which is a big race there. But again it is a case of trying to balance the finances of what’s appropriate and what the Breeders’ Cup are willing to put forward to get him over there.

“That would be almost better for him as it is October and it would bring him in bang on three weeks before the Turf Sprint, but you then have to get him out there yourself and everything.

“Over here there is nothing really and other than those two races it would be looking at some of the tracks over here to help him out and get him there for a gallop before he goes over (to America).”

West is still on a high after York and has already been studying previous Breeders’ Cup footage as he dreams of adding Live In The Dream’s name to the meeting’s illustrious roll of honour.

“It still hasn’t sunk in really,” he added.

“Epsom asked if the horse could parade (at the Bank Holiday Monday meeting), but I think it would have blown his head a little bit so they had to make do with me.

“It’s left me thinking kind of ‘what do we do now’, and wondering how do we ever get that feeling ever again.

“I’ve rewatched some of the previous Breeders’ Cup races over the last few days including the 2019 one that holds the record and I just thought if we could emulate anything near that it would be amazing. It’s so exciting to watch, even now knowing the results. It’s the best of the best isn’t it and we’re going to be a part of it.

“Everyone has been so welcoming and it has really captured the hearts of people over here. I think the Americans have got behind it a little bit and he looks the type to do well over there so there is a lot of excitement from their side as well as ours.”

Sure to be front and centre when Live In The Dream does showcase his speed oversees is the horse’s adoring and enthusiastic owners, and West cannot speak highly enough of the the De’Lemos family, who have been huge supporters of his fledgling Epsom set-up.

“They love it and they are on cloud nine,” West said.

“They are such a great family and great warm characters. It would be hard to find somewhere that wouldn’t be welcoming of them as you only need to spend a minute with them to pick up on the love they have for each other and for the sport.”

Task Force maintained his unbeaten record with a clear-cut victory in the British Stallion Studs EBF Ripon Champion Two Yrs Old Trophy.

A son of two Guineas winners in Frankel and Special Duty, the Ralph Beckett-trained colt made a big impression on his racecourse debut at Salisbury last month, earning him a step up to Listed class.

He was the 11-8 favourite to dispatch of five rivals in North Yorkshire and did so in fine style in the hands of Rossa Ryan.

In the famous Juddmonte silks, Task Force raced enthusiastically at the rear of the field for much of the six-furlong contest before being produced with his challenge widest of all.

He mastered Shagraan and course and distance winner Seven Questions, who was briefly stopped in his run when challenging between the pair, and was good value for the winning margin of a length and a quarter.

The winner’s stablemate Matters Most finished strongly to fill the runner-up spot and provide the in-form Beckett team with a one-two.

Juddmonte’s racing manager, Barry Mahon, said of the winner: “The idea of going to Ripon was to teach him a bit as he didn’t learn much the first day, he hit the gates well and sat handy and was left in front a furlong and a half down, so he probably didn’t learn a lot about racing.

“He’ll have learned plenty there today. You saw how green he was in the early part of there and when Rossa asked him to go he was green, but when the penny dropped away he went.

“It was a nice performance and he could a nice horse.”

Task Force has the option of stepping up to seven furlongs for the Group Two Champagne Stakes at Doncaster next month, but plans are fluid at this stage.

“I haven’t spoken to Ralph yet and we need to let the dust settle, but I’ve no doubt seven is going to be right up his street,” Mahon added.

“He’s bred to be a miler in time, so seven furlongs won’t be a problem, but whether Ralph decides to go that way now or later on we’ll wait and see.

“Part of the reason we went back over six furlongs today was because when you look up his mother’s record she never raced beyond six at two and ended up being a dual Guineas winner at three, so there’s no shortage of speed in the pedigree and he showed that today against some hardened two-year-olds.”

Task Force maintained his unbeaten record with a clear-cut victory in the British Stallion Studs EBF Ripon Champion Two Yrs Old Trophy.

A son of two Guineas winners in Frankel and Special Duty, the Ralph Beckett-trained colt made a big impression on his racecourse debut at Salisbury last month, earning him a step up to Listed class.

He was the 11-8 favourite to dispatch of five rivals in North Yorkshire and did so in fine style in the hands of Rossa Ryan.

In the famous Juddmonte silks, Task Force raced enthusiastically at the rear of the field for much of the six-furlong contest before being produced with his challenge widest of all.

He mastered Shagraan and course and distance winner Seven Questions, who was briefly stopped in his run when challenging between the pair, and was good value for the winning margin of a length and a quarter.

The winner’s stablemate Matters Most finished strongly to fill the runner-up spot and provide the in-form Beckett team with a one-two.

Juddmonte’s racing manager, Barry Mahon, said of the winner: “The idea of going to Ripon was to teach him a bit as he didn’t learn much the first day, he hit the gates well and sat handy and was left in front a furlong and a half down, so he probably didn’t learn a lot about racing.

“He’ll have learned plenty there today. You saw how green he was in the early part of there and when Rossa asked him to go he was green, but when the penny dropped away he went.

“It was a nice performance and he could a nice horse.”

Task Force has the option of stepping up to seven furlongs for the Group Two Champagne Stakes at Doncaster next month, but plans are fluid at this stage.

“I haven’t spoken to Ralph yet and we need to let the dust settle, but I’ve no doubt seven is going to be right up his street,” Mahon added.

“He’s bred to be a miler in time, so seven furlongs won’t be a problem, but whether Ralph decides to go that way now or later on we’ll wait and see.

“Part of the reason we went back over six furlongs today was because when you look up his mother’s record she never raced beyond six at two and ended up being a dual Guineas winner at three, so there’s no shortage of speed in the pedigree and he showed that today against some hardened two-year-olds.”

Julie Camacho’s super sprinter Shaquille has been doing his stalls homework ahead of his run in Haydock’s Betfair Sprint Cup.

The three-year-old has been an unstoppable force this season, winning a Newmarket handicap before stepping into Listed company to take the Carnarvon Stakes by two lengths – both times under James Doyle.

Doyle’s duties with Godolphin prevented him from taking the ride on the colt in the Commonwealth Cup and his loss was Oisin Murphy’s gain as he prevailed at Group One level by a length and a quarter.

The same situation arose in the July Cup at Newmarket, where Rossa Ryan got the leg-up as Shaquille gained another top-flight success for the Camacho team. On both of his most recent runs, however, the bay left himself with ground to make up when rearing in the stalls and missing the break.

As a result Camacho and her husband and assistant Steve Brown have turned to Craig Witherford, a specialist horseman who helps with tricky loaders. Doyle was on board for the schooling and remains first choice for Haydock, if his Godolphin commitments leave him available.

“He is in good form, everything’s going to plan for a week on Saturday at Haydock,” said Brown.

“He had a little rest after the July Cup, which was always our intention, he’s done two bits of work to his normal standard – he’s not a flashy worker at home.

“I had a chat with Craig after Newmarket because we thought Ascot was a one-off, but then it wasn’t, so we needed to do something to try to make him jump out more convincingly.

“He was loaded with a rug and before he jumped out the rug was taken off, it certainly worked on Thursday.

“He jumped out and looked pretty convincing, hopefully that will be the case when he goes to Haydock.

“It all about your use of energy, it’d be nice if he could get out smoothly and we’d really see what he can do then.”

He added on the jockey situation: “James has always been our first choice since the start of the year, we haven’t discussed it fully but I think he’d be our first port of call – we’ll see what his availability is and go from there.”

Adam Azim will dedicate his super-lightweight bout with Aram Fanyan to his late grandfather when the pair meet on the Liam Smith v Chris Eubank Jr card.

The unbeaten Azim (8-0-0) will reignite his bid to become the first British Asian undisputed world champion on Saturday.

And the Slough fighter will look to extend his unbeaten streak in memory of his grandfather who passed away earlier this month.

“I wanted to go to his funeral in Pakistan but I know he would’ve told me to stay and keep training,” Azim told the PA news agency.

“This gave me an extra boost for this fight because this fight is not for just me to win, it’s also for him to win as well.

“It’s given me that extra motivation and drive in training and this fight is dedicated to him. I’m also going to put his name on my shorts.

“He was a massive supporter for me, we were very tight and very close and it’s unfortunate he passed away just before my fight unexpectedly.

“Any time that I fight, there will be a massive party in his town in Pakistan and everyone will go and congratulate him, so this fight is dedicated to him.”

Azim warned he knows his opponent’s weaknesses as he seeks a “demolition” after his points victory over Santos Reyes in February.

And the 21-year-old has set his sights on the European rankings should he get the job done on Saturday in Manchester.

“I know ways to take Fanyan out,” Azim added.

“And I feel like this is the fight to put me up in the rankings and put me where I need to be.

“I’m excited to get into the ring and put a great performance on for the crowd and I want to get in there to put a demolition on him.

“I’ve not spoken to him yet but when I do see him I’m going to look right into his eyes and tell him ‘I’m not here for no joke, I’m going to take you out’.”

Azim credited his coach Shane McGuigan for his progression as a professional and sees him as an important mentor.

“Shane calms me down before fights,” he said.

“Just before I go to the ring I usually get really angry and want to take my opponent’s head off and he tells me to relax.

“He’s a great mentor and an unbelievable trainer, I’ve learnt so much from him and our bond just keeps getting bigger and bigger.”

Bullish Grant Gilchrist is adamant Scotland remain unfazed by South Africa’s blistering form in the lead-up to their World Cup showdown in Marseille a week on Sunday.

While the Scots have enjoyed an encouraging summer campaign, the Boks have been busy inflicting record defeats on both Wales (52-16) and New Zealand (35-7) over the past two weekends to climb to second in the world rankings.

The Scotland squad watched South Africa’s demolition of the All Blacks together in their hotel on Friday, but lock Gilchrist insists it has not caused any heightened trepidation within the dressing room.

“It doesn’t change our mindset,” he told the PA news agency. “We’ve known all along that South Africa can peak at a World Cup, they’re world champions for a reason.

“We always knew the size of the challenge that was going to face us. Other people might say this and that, but we were expecting to play the best version of the Springboks, and we’re going to relish that opportunity.

“It’s even more exciting when you see the way they played against the All Blacks. They’re one of the top sides in the world and we have to go out and impose our game on them.

“If you don’t feel excited about playing South Africa at a World Cup when they’re in the form they’re in, then you’re in the wrong changing room. We’re going to embrace that.

“We know we’ll be massive underdogs but we’ll be going into that game having prepared really well and we certainly believe if we can get our best rugby on the pitch for 80 minutes we can cause them a lot of problems.”

The Scots made it three wins from four summer Tests on Saturday when they recovered from a 6-0 half-time deficit to defeat Georgia 33-6 at Murrayfield, with five tries after the break. Gilchrist feels it was good practice for their World Cup pool matches against the likes of Tonga and Romania when the Scots will find themselves cast as favourites.

“We spoke last week about how it was always going to be a mental challenge playing at home with all the expectation that we were going to blow Georgia away,” he explained.

“They’re a good side, they win a lot of games. I know they play a tier down from us but they beat Wales recently. They’re not a minnow side, they’re a quality outfit and they showed that for spells. They’ve got players tearing up the Top 14.

“We knew the challenge and that we’d have to be patient, so the pleasing side of it is that we didn’t panic, we stuck to the task and we got the job done.”

Gilchrist feels his team have shown in bursts over the summer – particularly in the two matches home and away against France – what they could be capable of at the World Cup.

“I think we’ve got to look at the positives,” he said, reflecting on the summer campaign. “We’ve built our game and I think we’re really comfortable with what our best performance looks like.

“Probably the second half of the home game against France (when they scored 22 unanswered points to win 25-21) and also the way we started and finished in Saint-Etienne (when losing 30-27).

“We understand we’re going to have to put that out on the pitch for 80 minutes and we’ve not done that yet. But these are warm-up games, they’re for finding your form. We understand we’re going to have to peak in two weeks and that’s an exciting challenge.”

Future plans are on hold for Nostrum after the exciting colt finished lame when hot favourite for the Strensall Stakes at York on Saturday.

Third behind fellow Juddmonte-owned three-year-old Chaldean in the Dewhurst at Newmarket last term, the son of Kingman missed the first part of the current campaign after suffering a setback in the spring.

A spectacular comeback win in a Listed race at Newmarket last month suggested Sir Michael Stoute’s inmate was destined for the top, but he was beaten by Epictetus in the Thoroughbred Stakes at Goodwood and trailed home last of six runners in another Group Three on the Knavesmire on Saturday.

Whether Nostrum runs again this season remains to be seen, with connections still trying to discover the exact cause of his disappointing performance.

“He was lame behind on the day and it will be investigated a bit more today and tomorrow,” said Juddmonte’s racing manager Barry Mahon on Monday.

“I don’t think it’s anything too sinister from what Sir Michael was saying, he thought it might have been more muscular than anything, but until we check it out we’ll wait and see.

“We won’t know what the plan is until we get all the results back and see what was causing the niggle.

“It was disappointing, but it would be worse if there was no reason for it. The main thing is getting him right as we know the talent is there and the ability is there, it’s just about getting him right.”

A Juddmonte runner who produced a more positive performance at York was Bluestocking, who was beaten just three and a half lengths into fourth place in Thursday’s Yorkshire Oaks.

Ralph Beckett’s filly has previously finished third in the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot before being narrowly denied by Savethelastdance in the Irish Oaks, and her team must now decide whether to lower her sights or line up in another Group One contest on Qipco Champions Day at Ascot.

Mahon added: “I thought she ran a lovely race and she’s a filly that’s probably still a little bit on the weak side when you watch her going round the ring compared to some of the opposition.

“I thought it was noticeable that there’s still a little bit of weakness in her and I think she’s filly that will be better next year, but she’s running to a high level of form.

“A little bit more ease in the ground probably suits her a little better and I’m sure there’ll be good days to be had with her along the way.

“We haven’t really decided where we go next, we need to discuss that with the owners. We touched on it after the race whether we drop in class and win a race this year or she goes to the fillies’ race on Ascot on Champions Day.

“We’ll let her get over York and speak with the owners and then decide in the coming weeks.”

Mahon also provided an update on 2000 Guineas hero Chaldean, who has enjoyed a mid-season break since failing to fire in the Prix Jean Prat at Deauville in early July.

The Andrew Balding-trained son of Frankel is being readied for the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot on Champions Day, with a prep run at Newmarket in the pipeline.

“I think Andrew in the back of his head is slightly thinking of the Joel Stakes,” said Mahon.

“He’s back in Kingsclere and cantering away and we sort of said we’d just monitor and see how he goes closer to the time, but Andrew was thinking Joel Stakes and then the QEII.”

Steve Clarke revealed Newcastle midfielder Elliot Anderson had decided against switching allegiance to England following positive discussions with the Scotland manager ahead of his first senior call-up.

Anderson has been called into Clarke’s squad for the Euro 2024 qualifier against Cyprus and a friendly against England.

The 20-year-old has represented Scotland at under-16, under-17 and under-18 level and then played a training-ground friendly for England Under-19s against Arsenal Under-23s in 2021.

The attacking midfielder made a sole Scotland Under-21 appearance against Belgium in June 2022 before turning down further call-ups from Scot Gemmill as he considered his international future.

But Anderson was a surprise inclusion in Clarke’s squad after coming off the bench in all three of Newcastle’s Premier League matches this season.

Whitley Bay-born Anderson, who has a Scottish grandmother, is included ahead of the likes of David Turnbull, who has not been in recent squads but has been back in the Celtic team under Brendan Rodgers.

Clarke said: “Elliot has been through the under-age groups with Scotland, he is one we have had an eye on.

“He had a little think about choosing between Scotland and England. We had some good discussions with the boy and his family and he has chosen to come with us, which is good for us now and certainly good for us in the future.

“He has been with us in general. Obviously when you get to a certain stage in your career and you can see your career is starting to take off, which Elliot’s is at Newcastle…We have got some great reports from people within the club at Newcastle, which is good to hear.

“Then you have to make that choice. Elliot was born in England, he has got decisions to make, and we are just happy he has come down on our side.

“He has been involved in the under-age, he has played in the under-21s, so he has chosen to stay with us and hopefully that turns out to be a good decision for Elliot and ourselves.

“I think it shows how well the boys that I have been picking on a regular basis have done. Qualification for Euro 2020 and obviously we are looking to qualify for another major tournament this time, and we hope we can continue to improve.

“I have always tried to look down towards the under-age groups, the under-21s, to try to give a pathway so that we are not just having a squad for now but looking to build a squad that will carry us through not just the next tournament but the tournament after that and the tournament after that. Elliot is part of that process.”

Clarke also gave hope to Liverpool winger Ben Doak that the 17-year-old was not far off a full call-up.

“Anybody who is doing well for their club, especially at a club like Liverpool, playing off the bench in the English Premier League, they are always going to be close,” he said. “I just feel that on this occasion, it was the right time to bring in Elliot.

“Ben knows that we are watching him, he knows that he is part of the future, but he has to continue doing what he is doing at his club, and he has to continue playing well. If he does that, I’m sure his turn won’t be too far away.”

Che Adams is back in the 25-man squad after missing victories over Norway and Georgia in June through injury.

There are eight defenders in the squad, meaning several players drop out.

There is no place for Blackburn’s Dominic Hyam and Celtic full-backs Anthony Ralston and Greg Taylor but Nottingham Forest centre-back Scott McKenna returns following injury.

Leeds defender Liam Cooper drops out after being ruled out for eight weeks with a foot injury earlier this month, while Ross McCrorie misses out after being a late call-up in the summer.

Scotland are looking to continue their 100 per cent record in the Euro 2024 qualifiers when they take on Cyprus in Larnaca in their fifth group game on September 8.

They then host England at Hampden four days later in a game to mark the 150th anniversary of football’s first international in 1872.

England’s troubled build-up to the World Cup is reflected in their descent to eighth in the last global rankings to be published before the tournament begins.

World Rugby has confirmed that Steve Borthwick’s side have fallen two places from sixth following their 30-22 defeat by Fiji on Saturday – registering their joint lowest position in the standings’ 20-year history.

Fiji have climbed from ninth to seventh on the back of their stunning victory at Twickenham while Argentina – England’s main pool rivals in France – are up one place to sixth.

Ireland top the rankings ahead of second-placed South Africa with the two heavyweights’ presence in Pool B alongside fifth-placed Scotland highlighting the most lop-sided draw in the competition’s history.

England are in the easiest group but given their recent run of five defeats in six Tests, their assignments against 12th-placed Samoa and 14th-placed Japan now look like banana skins.

Apart from their form on the field, which is underpinned by a leaky defence, they have suffered from a series of suspensions and injuries that have disrupted their build-up.

While the rankings change after every round of Tests matches, England’s lowly position is symbolic of how far they have fallen and mirrors expectations over how they will perform at the World Cup.

Borthwick himself explained the importance of the rankings heading into the tournament when he announced his 33-man squad on August 7.

“If you could lay it out and say to me ‘what would you want to be right now?’, I’d use (former England coach) Clive Woodward’s words that you want to be the best team in the world,” Borthwick said.

“Ranked number one, the favourites. That’s what Ireland have right now. Why? Because you want to make sure you’re the best team. Now that’s not our situation, our situation is different.”