Related items

• Billy Vunipola ready to resume physical role for England when required

  Billy Vunipola insists he is ready to resume his primary function as England’s battering ram having played a supporting role against Chile which allowed others to shine.

  Vunipola is competing with the in-form Ben Earl for the number eight jersey in the final group match against Samoa on October 7 when Steve Borthwick’s team are expected to clinch their World Cup quarter-final spot as Pool D winners.

  Making his first start since completing a two-match ban for a dangerous tackle, the imposing Saracens back row found his ability to make a significant impact in the 71-0 demolition of Chile last Saturday curtailed by the all-out assault being conducted around him.

  “It’s funny to say this because we beat them quite convincingly but it’s tough for me to try and take all the onus on myself when everyone else is very keen to try and get the ball in their hands,” Vunipola said.

  “My role becomes that of a support player and as much as I want to have the ball in my hands, I want to put the team in the best position possible. So if that means giving the ball to Owen Farrell more often, then so be it.

  “Obviously having a lot of involvements is a positive. I would have liked to have had 15-16 carries, but at the end of the day that’s not what the team needed from me on Saturday. My role was to try and help the team and I felt like I did that.

  “But I felt positive coming away because the forwards put the backs in positions where they could run free and attack.

  “I’m supremely confident in what I bring in terms of my physicality and against physical teams I know I can hold my own. When I’m called upon I’m right here, waiting.”

  England have overcome an abysmal World Cup build-up consisting of three defeats in four preparation fixtures to dispatch Argentina, Japan and Chile with ease since arriving in France.

  Although the suspicion remains that they will struggle when meeting the type of heavyweight opposition they have yet to face, they will enter a likely quarter-final against Fiji with the wind in their sails.

  It has since emerged that their disastrous results last month were partly a consequence of their heavy conditioning programme, which has been designed to place them in the best possible position for the key phases of the World Cup.

  Vunipola uses David Haye’s world heavyweight title defeat by Wladimir Klitschko in 2011, which he blamed on an injured toe, to explain why England kept the knowledge of their empty tanks to themselves.

  “I sit here with a team that’s doing really well after what some people said was a disaster in August, but the work we were doing away from prying eyes was always going to bear these results.

  “It was just tough little period to ride through but luckily we have come through it. We couldn’t talk about it otherwise it would be seen as an excuse.

  “The only example I can think of is when David Haye was complaining about his little toe after he lost his fight.

  “It’s not something you can disclose but we were training really hard because our goal was to be ready and fresh for Argentina.”

• Matthew Mott: Jofra Archer ‘desperate to play but realistic’ ahead of World Cup

  Jofra Archer may be England’s only travelling reserve to India for the World Cup but Matthew Mott is aware another misstep with the fast bowler’s fitness could have “serious ramifications”.

  The recurrence of a stress fracture in Archer’s right elbow sidelined him for the summer and ultimately kept him out of England’s 15-man squad for the defence of their title, which gets under way next week.

  Archer is part of the touring party as cover and a tantalising option if injury strikes, even if it is anticipated he will not be ready to make his return until the tournament is close to a conclusion.

  Given the repeated setbacks he has had since a breakout 2019, when he was entrusted with bowling the super over that led to England being crowned world champions, Mott will not take any risks with the 28-year-old.

  “Jofra is not fit to play until the latter stages of the tournament,” England’s white-ball head coach said. “A lot of where he’s coming from is to get some intensive work with our medical staff.

  “We have been very big on not rushing him back and that message has been clear to him.

  “He understands – he’s desperate to play but he’s also realistic that if this thing happens again it could have serious ramifications.

  “We’ll take him over there, work with him and if something happens at the back end, he’s someone who could come in.”

  England, who head to India on Wednesday night, are not flying out any more supplementary options, with Mott set to act only if and when injury does occur and bring in a like-for-like alternative.

  Jason Roy, having been culled from the squad in favour of Harry Brook, has made himself available for reserve duty, while Mott has urged everyone who was part of the shadow England side that beat Ireland in a rain-affected ODI series – where Will Jacks and Ben Duckett impressed – to stay on their toes.

  “We don’t need to declare where that’s at and we certainly don’t really want to speculate on it,” Mott said. “Everyone in this group here, and everyone on the periphery, should be maintaining their fitness.

  “The flight to India is not that bad and the reality is (if) someone gets called up they are not going to get called straight into the XI. So they’ll have time to adjust and that’s where we arrived.

  “Pulling people around India for eight weeks is not going to get the best out of them. Every player should be ready to go.”

  Mott revealed Adil Rashid and Mark Wood are both “fine” following niggles, adding he has a “rough idea” of England’s preferred XI ahead of the tournament opener against New Zealand in Ahmedabad on October 5.

  England selected 12 players during their 2019 triumph but Mott envisages making more use of his squad given the variety of Indian pitches and conditions, with the defending champions also facing an extensive travel schedule as their nine group-stage matches will be played in eight cities.

  “We don’t have any expectations,” Mott said. “A lot of teams are going to contest and expect to do well. We are one of them but I don’t look at it as defending champions.

  “We go in with the same points as everyone else. India will be favourites in the minds of many people because of home advantage, but they can go either way as well.”

  England’s summer programme finishing on Tuesday brings to an end former captain Andrew Flintoff’s stint, having joined the backroom staff for their ODI series against New Zealand and Ireland.

  Flintoff returned to the public eye for the first time since a serious car accident while filming for Top Gear last December and Mott would welcome back the 45-year-old with open arms going forwards.

  “He’s definitely going to join us again in future, we’ve loved having him around,” Mott added.

  “He’s revered, he’s got an aura about him, he’s very special and what he’s gone through recently, the humility he’s displayed and the life experiences he can share have been immense.

  “Even the seasoned Test veterans, they grew up idolising him and to see him in the flesh offering so much has been very special.”

• Ireland have plenty to ‘tidy up’ ahead of crunch Scotland showdown

  Prop Finlay Bealham feels Ireland have “lots to tidy up” ahead of a crunch Rugby World Cup clash with rivals Scotland.

  Andy Farrell’s squad will resume training at their base in Tours on Thursday, having enjoyed some time off in the aftermath of Saturday evening’s physical 13-8 success over South Africa.

  Despite the result, Ireland endured line-out struggles against the Springboks in Paris, while they were let off the hook by some wayward opposition goal-kicking.

  Tighthead Bealham is ready to “get back on the horse” after the well-earned break and believes there is plenty of room for improvement ahead of a decisive pool B encounter with the Scots on October 7.

  “There are certainly things to tidy up for sure,” he said. “We’ve a game against Scotland and we’ll fix up what we’ve got to fix up.

  “A few things (against South Africa) didn’t go to plan and the resilience and the fight (was pleasing).

  “Everyone was working for each other, (it’s a) special group and to be a part of it is an honour.

  “We knew they would be a big challenge and we fronted up well, but certainly lots to tidy up.

  “We’ll get back on the horse and get after it.”

  Following the jubilation of defeating the defending champions, Ireland’s World Cup fate will be decided by further 9pm kick-offs at Stade de France.

  Test rugby’s top-ranked nation still have work to do to secure a spot in the knockout stages and will play each of their remaining tournament matches – potentially four – in the French capital, beginning in late evening.

  Australia-born Bealham believes it is important players switch off from rugby in the long hours leading up to kick-off in order to avoid “playing the game 10 times before it actually starts”.

  “I’ve gotten better since I’ve got older,” the 31-year-old said of not overthinking matches during free time.

  “We have such a tight-knit group, everyone knows what each other is like and you can go hang out with the lads and have a bit of craic, which takes your mind off the games.

  “Especially these late kick-offs, you don’t want to be sitting in your room playing the game 10 times before it actually starts.”

  For the third successive weekend, Ireland were backed by hordes of travelling fans, with wide-ranging estimates suggesting between 30,000 and 60,000 Irish supporters were in attendance in Saint-Denis.

  “When you’re playing you notice it at times, but when we are doing the lap at the end, seeing all the Irish, it felt like a home game,” said Connacht player Bealham.

  “The support we get from the fans is second to none. They are the best fans in the world.

  “Lots of credit to them, we love our fans so much. To see them all there, the sea of green, it was class.”