Maro Itoje has reaffirmed his commitment to England amid talks of a proposed global breakaway league.

Steve Borthwick’s side are looking to end their five-match losing run when they face Japan in their final match of the autumn series on Sunday.

But there is fear that Borthwick could lose many of his players to the new league that reportedly are offering 40 £1m-a-season contracts for marquee players and more periods of rests for the players. 

The Rugby Football Union (RFU) only select players for the national team from English clubs, meaning any player joining the breakaway league would jeopardise their Test career. 

But Itoje has insisted that playing for England is the pinnacle for him and his teammates. 

"I don't really know any of the details of it as yet, but wearing this rose is extremely important to me and my teammates," said Itoje.

"Playing for England is the Mecca."

West Indies captain Rovman Powell was candid in his assessment of his team’s shortcomings following their 3-1 series loss to England in the recently concluded five-match T20 International series.

Powell acknowledged the challenges the team faced in adapting to conditions early in the series but remained optimistic about their upcoming clashes with Bangladesh. This, as he believes, the Caribbean side once again showed glimpses of its potential throughout the series but were unable to consistently produce a complete performance.

In fact, England’s decision to bowl first in the opening three matches—two at Kensington Oval in Barbados and one at the Darren Sammy Stadium in St Lucia—exposed the West Indies' struggles to navigate challenging conditions.

They lost key wickets in quick succession during the powerplay in all three games, where they posted scores of 182-9, 158-8, and 145-8 and lost by eight wickets, seven wickets, and three wickets in that order.

As such, Powell admitted the team’s inability to adapt cost them dearly. 

“I think we always, as a batting group, have a template that we try to work with; unfortunately, the template didn’t work in our first few games. It took us about two or three games to really wonder what’s really happening to us as a batting group, and we also need to sharpen up on a few areas as a bowling group,” Powell said after the rain-affected final game at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground.

While he views their victory in the fourth T20I when they pulled off a historic chase of England’s 218-5, scoring 221-5 to secure a five-wicket win as light at the end of the proverbial tunnel, that win was merely to salvage some pride.

It is with that in mind that Powell highlighted the importance of quicker assessment and adaptability as key takeaways from the series. 

“As a team, we need to assess a little bit faster. We didn’t play good cricket for long enough periods, and that made it a tough series. I think a lot of credit has to be given to Jos [Buttler] and his team; they really came in our conditions and dominated,” the Jamaican stated.

Despite the loss, Powell, who was among the standout performers, finishing as the series’ second-highest run scorer with 153 runs, is determined to build on the positives from the England series as they shift focus to the upcoming three-match T20I series against Bangladesh next month.

“The way we played the last (fourth game) showed that we can play really good cricket. If we had just assessed the conditions a little bit earlier in the series, it possibly would have been a different outcome. These are lessons to be learned,” Powell noted.

Harry Kane does not expect the 2026 World Cup to be his final major tournament with England.

Kane scored his 69th senior goal for the Three Lions as they crushed the Republic of Ireland 5-0 on Sunday to seal automatic promotion back to the top tier of the Nations League.

However, interim coach Lee Carsley benched Kane for England's previous game, a 3-0 victory in Greece on Thursday, and the striker was roundly criticised for his performances at Euro 2024 despite earning a share of the Golden Boot with three goals as his team reached the final. 

Now 31 years old, Kane does not expect the World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada to be his final shot at international glory and is holding out hope of featuring on home soil at Euro 2028.

Asked if the 2026 tournament could represent his international swansong, Kane told PA: "I don't think so.

"I think there's a perception when you get to your 30s that you're coming to an end, but for me, I'm performing at the highest level I've ever performed and feel as good as I've ever felt, so it's about taking in the moment.

"I don't like to look too far ahead and in my career, I never have. The World Cup is going to be exciting.

"In America it will be an incredible occasion and ultimately it's about trying to win that, looking at where you are, where to improve and it will be no different in a couple of years."

Kane has scored 61 goals in all competitions since joining Bayern Munich last August, at least eight more than any other player from Europe's top five leagues (Erling Haaland has 53).

Kane scored 44 of those goals under former Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel, who will take charge of England on January 1.

Only Haaland under Pep Guardiola at Manchester City (53) has more under a single manager in that span across Europe's big five leagues.

Kane was speaking at the unveiling of a statue in his honour at the Peter May Sports Centre in east London, where he represented his first team as a five-year-old.

"It's pretty special to be honest," Kane told BBC Newsround. "I played on these pitches as a five-year-old with dreams of playing for England, and I've been lucky enough to achieve that.

"Hopefully the boys and girls will walk past and be inspired by the story of my journey, my life and hard work."

Lee Carsley is proud of the way England's players adapted to a more progressive style during his spell as interim coach, ahead of Thomas Tuchel taking the reins.

England trounced the Republic of Ireland 5-0 on Sunday in their final game before Tuchel takes charge in January, recording their fifth win in six matches under Carsley.

Carsley has been credited with instilling a high-pressing, possession-based style during a successful stint as England Under-21 boss, having overseen the team's European Championship triumph last year.

In their six Nations League matches under Carsley, England's senior side averaged a 69.3% possession share and 624.8 successful passes per match, as well as 16 shots and 1.95 expected goals (xG).

At Euro 2024, their final tournament under Gareth Southgate, the Three Lions averaged 55.4% possession, 536 passes, 10.8 shots and 0.88 xG per match as they finished as runners-up to Spain.

Speaking after his final game at the helm, Carsley hailed England's players for adapting to a new approach seamlessly. 

"I definitely felt like I have been out of my comfort zone but not beyond my capabilities," Carsley said. "I never felt at any point I was drowning or I was struggling.

"I've taken the confidence that myself and the rest of the staff will be okay. I think we have got stronger as the windows have gone on.

"You are always learning a lot about yourself when you're in a position you are not used to. I think the most pleasing thing is the younger players coming through.

"We have tried change things. We have tried to adapt and move on the style, the way that we play, the control, the amount of possession we have, the amount of chances we create.

"There has been no resistance to that. If anything, they have taken that on. I think it helps that they have seen the 21s and the way that the 21s have tried to control and score goals."

England's victory was their biggest by a manager in their final match in charge since November 1993, when San Marino were beaten 7-1 in Graham Taylor's last game.

Despite achieving his goal of winning automatic promotion back to League A of the Nations League, Carsley admitted to having some regrets over his only defeat at the helm – a 2-1 loss to Greece at Wembley last month.

"Even though we won five of the six, I straight away go back to that game we should have won at Wembley," Carsley added.

"It's definitely a lonely place in that dugout when you're not winning at Wembley. We’ll keep improving and keeping pushing the players and ourselves."

Jos Buttler is pleased to have England's "winning habit back" after securing a 3-1 T20I series win over West Indies, with the final match abandoned due to rain.

England had opted to bowl and the hosts reached 44-0 through Evin Lewis (29) and Shai Hope (14) after five overs before the downpour began in St Lucia.

Despite ground staff's attempts to clear the surface, the match was abandoned, with England claiming the win, having lost the ODI leg of the tour 2-1.

The tourists had won the first three T20Is, with the West Indies earning a consolation on Saturday in a high-scoring clash. Despite not finishing their final white-ball assignment of 2024, Buttler was delighted with the work his side have done this week.

"We're delighted with the series win. We've played some brilliant cricket," Buttler said.

"I've been happy with how we've started games, setting the tone with the powerplay wickets, as we've seen from Saqib being named player of the series. We've had lots of different guys chipping in at various times, so I'm really pleased for everybody.

"The fast-bowling department is looking good, and they all bring something different with their variety, so it's exciting for English cricket to have that.

"I enjoyed it [being captain without keeping], I felt like I had a bit more time, and it was nice to be out there running around and closer to the bowlers. I got everything I wanted to out of doing that.

"It's great to have the winning habit back."

West Indies struggled to carry over their ODI form into the T20I series but were looking to restore some pride in the final match, having impressed in the fourth. Captain Rovman Powell is now hoping they can find some consistency.

"It's been a tough series and credit Jos Buttler and his team, who came to these conditions and dominated. Having said that, we played good cricket in patches but not in long enough periods," he said.

"I think we always, as a batting group, use a template, but that didn't work in our first few games. As a team, we need to assess faster. It took us two or three games. The bowling group needs to sharpen up in a few areas.

"It's always a problem with the Caribbean cricketers, we always wander off when we are not playing for West Indies. It's a treadmill, and we don't spend time together. We have to keep our communication with players and ensure they are ready to go."

Harry Kane hailed "top drawer" Lee Carsley after he closed his interim spell as England boss with a thumping win and promotion in the Nations League.

The Three Lions brushed aside 10-man Republic of Ireland 5-0 at Wembley on Sunday, with Kane scoring the opener before Anthony Gordon, Conor Gallagher, Jarrod Bowen and Taylor Harwood-Bellis all netted their first international goals.

Carsley finished with five wins and one defeat, as they finished top of Group B2, using his time in charge to give younger players opportunities in the first team ahead of Thomas Tuchel's arrival in January.

Kane believes he has stood England in good stead for the future and was pleased to finish the Nations League campaign on a high.

"A really important win for us. It has been a really good camp and two tough games," Kane told ITV Sport.

"We got the job done in Greece and again here. It was a tough first half, but we came out with more energy, and we finished it off.

"We spoke about new opportunities for new lads, and they've shown why they are here and a couple of good finishes. It was nice for Jarrod [Bowen] too to come on and score straight away.

"Thomas has a lot of players to choose from. A lot of young players that have come in and done well and some more experienced players that are injured and will be looking to come back, so there's a good balance. I'm sure he [Tuchel] will be looking at everyone.

"[Carsley] has been top drawer, him and all the staff. After the Euros, it was never going to be easy to come and go straight into the Nations League and sometimes the motivation is a bit less.

"I'm really glad we won today and finish off on a high."

Sunday's win marked the first time four players have scored their first England goal in the same game since October 1930 v Northern Ireland, when Harry Burgess, Jimmy Hampson, Sammy Crooks, Eric Houghton were on target.

Harwood-Bellis, who was the most used player by Carsley at Under-21 level, was the eighth player to be handed a debut by the former Ireland and Everton midfielder.

"It is a great day for me and my family. It's every young kid's dream to make their debut, and to score the goal is magical," the Southampton defender told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"I had a few hints yesterday that I would be needed at some point, when I got the nod to come on, I was over the moon.

"There's always a pathway and us young ones, we do believe we can get into the seniors. We know the door is open if we take our chances. I've got to thank Lee [Carsley] for calling me up and I have repaid him with a nice goal.

"Playing for my country at every level is something I take such pride in. To play for the seniors is something you dream of; it is the pinnacle of football, to do it and score is some feeling."

Gordon netted the second of England's goals with a volleyed finish, hitting the back of the net for his country for the first time from his ninth cap.

"Better late than never. It's definitely about time!" he told BBC Radio 5 Live. "It was a good feeling to see it hit the net, I got to spend it with some of the lads that I have come through the England setup, that made it a bit more special.

"They made it really hard; they were defending with 11 players behind the ball, but I said to the lads, 'They can't keep up that running for 90 minutes, it is not possible'.

"I think Lee deserves a lot of credit; he fills us with so much confidence."

Lee Carsley is eager to offer information and assistance to England's incoming head coach Thomas Tuchel.

Carsley signed off as England's interim manager with an impressive 5-0 victory over the Republic of Ireland, who were reduced to 10 men.

All of England's goals came in the second half at Wembley, where Harry Kane's opener was swiftly built upon by maiden international goals for Anthony Gordon, Conor Gallagher, Jarrod Bowen and Taylor Harwood-Bellis.

The victory ensured the Three Lions were promoted back to the top tier of the Nations League ahead of Tuchel's official arrival as coach in January.

And while Carsley hinted he has not loved his time in charge of the senior side, he is keen to give Tuchel a helping hand when the German starts.

"The pool of players has increased," Carsley told BBC Radio 5 Live, having handed out eight debuts in total across his spell in charge.

"I'll give him as much information that he needs.

"I have enjoyed it in parts, the games have always been the best bit.

"I am still gutted about the Greece game at home, if anything I am not thinking about the five wins, it is the one we have lost."

Greece beat England at Wembley last month, but the Three Lions bounced back on Thursday with a 3-0 win in Athens, paving the way for victory over Ireland to ensure their promotion from League B.

"We spoke about it at the first press conference, about gaining promotion in the Nations League, and it was a relief if I'm honest," said Carsley.

"I don't think you can ever get too excited, the performance against Greece was so good. For at least three minutes on the coach driving to the airport I was excited, but then I was thinking we have got another game.

"I enjoyed watching the lads, to play with the aggression and intent that they played with.

"I loved the reaction from the crowd at half-time. If they had got a bit nervy that would have transferred to the players. I think they could tell the players were playing with intent."

England's win was the biggest by a manager in their final match with the Three Lions since Graham Taylor in November 1993 (7-1 v San Marino).

On what was their 19th meeting, this was England’s biggest ever victory over Ireland.

Having been 0-0 at half-time, this was also England’s biggest ever margin of victory (five) in a game that had been goalless at the break.

Lee Carsley signed off as England's interim manager with an emphatic 5-0 win over 10-man Republic of Ireland that sealed the Three Lions' Nations League promotion.

England took advantage of Liam Scales' sending-off with a ruthless second-half attacking display, with four first-time scorers helping to secure top spot in Group B2 and passage back to League A.

The first half was tight, with few chances for either side after Curtis Jones' early strike was deflected wide before Kyle Walker headed over from the resulting corner.

Yet the floodgates opened with three goals in the space of five minutes after the break.

Scales received a second yellow card for tripping Jude Bellingham in the box, and Harry Kane marked his return to the side by expertly dispatching the penalty.

Anthony Gordon volleyed in his first England goal shortly after, before Conor Gallagher was alert to meet Marc Guehi's flick-on at a corner.

Jarrod Bowen then made an instant impact after his introduction, sweeping a Bellingham corner through the crowd with his first touch of the match.

Taylor Harwood-Bellis rounded things off in the 79th minute, grabbing a debut goal as he thumped a header past Caoimhin Kelleher from six yards out after meeting another Bellingham corner.

Data Debrief: First time for everything

Carsley said on Saturday that he believed he was leaving the England squad in a good place for incoming boss Thomas Tuchel, having widened the pool of young players.

He has certainly done his bit, handing out eight senior debuts in all, with Tino Livramento and Harwood-Bellis the players to benefit against Ireland. 

Meanwhile, in Gordon, Gallagher, Bowen, and Harwood-Bellis, four players have scored their first England goal in the same game for the first time since October 1930 v Northern Ireland, when Harry Burgess, Jimmy Hampson, Sammy Crooks, Eric Houghton were on target.

At the other end of the age spectrum, Kyle Walker made his 38th England appearance at Wembley, overtaking Wayne Rooney's total at the venue (37) – only Peter Shilton (52), Bobby Charlton (44), Bobby Moore (43), and Stuart Pearce (41) have now played there more often for the Three Lions.

Carsley, who has collected the biggest win as an interim England boss since Graham Taylor oversaw a 7-1 victory over San Marino in 1993, started his short reign with a win over Ireland in September, and England have now won three consecutive games against them for the very first time. 

Rovman Powell hailed West Indies' commitment after claiming the first win of their T20 series against England on Saturday.

The hosts successfully chased their target of 219 in St Lucia to stop the rot in the five-match series, reducing the deficit to 3-1. 

West Indies won the toss and elected to field, though England did their best to make the most of the flat pitch.

Phil Salt's contribution of 55 set the tourists on their way, while captain Jos Buttler chipped in with 38, and Jacob Bethell hit an unbeaten 62 - reaching his latest half-century off just 22 balls.

England finished at 218-5, but West Indies hit the ground running in their chase as Evin Lewis (68) and Shai Hope (54) notched up 136 from the first nine overs.

However, the hosts' momentum stalled when Rehan Ahmed caught Lewis, Hope was run out and Nicholas Pooran bowled for a duck in as many balls.

Nevertheless, skipper Powell got them back on track with 38 from 23 deliveries and, though he was dismissed in the 17th over, back-to-back sixes from Sherfane Rutherford in the penultimate over sealed a five-wicket victory.

"The guys were a little bit more committed today, and the toss fell in our hands," Powell said. "It's been a series where, once you win the toss, you seem to win the game. But, the guys played well."

"It was an excellent wicket, and we got off to a great start with our openers putting them under plenty of pressure," Buttler added. "We thought we needed at least 220, and then their openers played exceptionally well, too."

Steve Borthwick was left "incredibly disappointed and frustrated" following England's defeat by South Africa, conceding "these are painful days".

England suffered their fifth successive Test loss after going down 29-20 at the Allianz Stadium on Saturday.

The hosts were quick out of the blocks with Ollie Sleightholme crossing on his first international start, and led 20-19 in the second half.

However, a Handre Pollard penalty and Cheslin Kolbe's second try of the game settled the contest in favour of South Africa, who then stubbornly defended their lead during a late England surge. 

Borthwick's side have now lost three consecutive home games for the first time since 2006, but he hopes these experiences will benefit his players further down the line.

"I am incredibly disappointed and frustrated," he told BBC Radio 5 Live. "You see so much good' the way the team came out of the blocks at the start and came at South Africa.

"Then, for a long time, the game was toe-to-toe, but in the last period, we failed to take our opportunities. How many times did we fail to take our chances in their 22?

"These are painful days. At times, we are putting ourselves in positions to win games, and we are not converting them. Whilst these are painful, we will use them in a positive way to help with our development.

"We have a lot of young players that have come into this team, and we have accelerated their transition.

"As you look towards the future, these players are going to be brilliant international players. But, right now, these days of development are tough. We will persevere and be better because of these experiences."

Borthwick is adamant England are "going in the right direction", and believes he still has the backing of the RFU.

"I'm not going to be talking about private conversations here, but what’s actually more important is the feeling I get," he added. 

"The feeling I get from the RFU is one of absolute support and absolute belief that this team is going in the right direction."

Half-centuries from openers Shai Hope and Evin Lewis propelled West Indies to a stunning five-wicket victory over England as they chased down a mammoth 219-run target in the penultimate contest of their five-match T20I series at the Darren Sammy Stadium on Saturday.

Hope (54) and Lewis (68) set the tone with a record-breaking 136-run stand off a mere 55 balls that paved the way for a famous win and, by extension, etched the chase into the history books as the highest ever at the venue and the second-highest in West Indies T20I history.

Lewis had four boundaries and seven maximums in his 30-ball knock, while Hope’s 24-ball innings had seven fours and three sixes. Captain Rovman Powell (38) and Sherfane Rutherford, with an unbeaten 29, were the only other scores in double figures.

The win saw the Caribbean team salvaging some pride as England still hold an unassailable 3-1 lead heading into Sunday’s final encounter.

Scores: West Indies 221-5 (19 overs); England 218-5 (20overs)

West Indies’ response to England's formidable 218 for 5 was nothing short of spectacular. Despite a slow start, with just five runs off the opening over, Hope and Lewis exploded into action in the third over bowled by debutant John Turner.

Lewis launched the assault with a towering six, followed by a flurry of boundaries from Hope that turned the tide firmly in the hosts' favour. 

Hope reached his half-century off just 23 balls, as he combined sublime timing with power, while Lewis joined the party with a blistering 26-ball fifty of his own. The pair dismantled England's bowling attack, racking up 10 sixes and 11 fours in the opening stand. 

Lewis’s standout moment came in the eighth over when he smashed a 105-meter six off Liam Livingstone, followed by another in a 30-run over that left England reeling.

Though Lewis departed when he holed out to Dan Mousley off Rehan Ahmed, the damage was done, despite the drama that followed his dismissal.

Hope was then run out in a chaotic sequence that saw West Indies lose two wickets in as many balls, as Nicholas Pooran (zero) was bowled off a googly from Ahmed immediately after.

Shimron Hetmyer’s brief cameo ended with a sharp catch by Livingstone, who later left the field with an apparent knee injury.

However, Powell steadied the innings with a quick-fire 38 off 23 balls, including three sixes and two fours, before falling to John Turner. His contribution, however, ensured that the West Indies remained in control, requiring only 23 runs off the final 21 deliveries. 

Rutherford, who lofted a six down the ground off Mousley, brought the equation within striking distance and then unleashed a powerful slog over deep midwicket to clinch victory in dramatic style. Roston Chase was also unbeaten on nine.

Ahmed ended with 3-43 from his four overs.

Earlier, England's innings, led by Phil Salt’s 55 off 35 balls and Jacob Bethell’s unbeaten 62 off 32, appeared daunting.

Salt, who had five fours and four sixes in his 35-ball knock, and Will Jacks (25) added 53 in just 4.2 overs, while Bethell’s late blitz, including three consecutive sixes off Chase, propelled England to a venue-record-equalling 218-5.

Bethell had five maximums and four boundaries in his unbeaten 32-ball knock. Captain Jos Buttler (32) and Sam Curran (24) also got in on the act.

However, West Indies bowlers, despite early punishment, found key breakthroughs. Alzarri Joseph and Gudakesh Motie struck at crucial junctures, while Chase and Motie held their nerve in the middle overs to prevent England from running away with the game. 

Motie was the pick of the pack with 2-40 from his four.

Sunshine Girl Crystal Plummer is no stranger to high-pressure situations, but Jamaica’s dramatic 49-49 draw against England in the opening game of the four-match Horizon Netball Series was an experience that even she found exhilarating.

Still, as the Sunshine Girls look to improve in the second match on Sunday, Plummer is focused on channeling the lessons from Saturday’s thrilling contest into consistent success for the remainder of the series and, by extension, her career.

“It was a rollercoaster of emotions,” Plummer told SportsMax.Tv as she reflected on the match played at the AO Arena in Manchester.

“There were moments when we should have had the upper hand and allowed England to slip. But that’s what makes netball so exciting—it’s a constant test of resilience and focus. All in all, I’m super excited to be back on the international stage, and I am just looking to build on the lessons as they come,” she added.

Plummer, who started at centre before being substituted at the beginning of the second quarter, acknowledged the intense pace of the match. Both teams traded turnovers early on, but it was England who managed to pull away in the second quarter to establish a 26-20 halftime lead. 

Despite sitting out portions of the game, Plummer remained a vocal presence on the sidelines, urging her teammates to push through their challenges.

Though they eventually rallied in the last two quarters, it was the comeback from two goals down in the closing seconds of the final quarter to level the game that really took the prize.

“Our team showed so much heart. We made some errors, but we also demonstrated how capable we are of bouncing back, so basically it is a case of all the hard work we put in that paid off. The way we rallied in the third and fourth quarters was truly inspiring,” Plummer opined.

“Those last few minutes were nerve-wracking. Again, we had chances in which we could have opened up big leads, but we let it slip. That’s something we’ll address as a team because we know we have what it takes to win these tight games,” she noted.

That said, Plummer believes consistency will be the key to victory as the Sunshine Girls look to gain the upper hand in the second game of the series on Sunday.

“We’ve shown that we can match England in every aspect, but it’s about sustaining that level of play for all four quarters. If we can clean up our errors and stay composed under pressure, I’m confident we’ll come out on top. We just have to take things one quarter at a time,” Plummer stated.

The talented 22-year-old, who has been a pivotal player for Jamaica since her debut at the Americas qualifiers on home soil in 2022, is also eager to step up her individual performance.

“As a midcourt player, my role is to connect the defence and attack seamlessly, so I want to be sharper in my decision-making and ensure that I’m providing the best support to my teammates on court,” said Plummer, who was a part of the bronze medal-winning Netball World Cup team.

“I always tell myself that I am a hard cookie who will battle to the very end, and I am very confident in my abilities, which is why I consistently set goals and then put in the mental and physical work to ensure I fulfil them. So my goals for this series have already been locked in, and so I just want to put my best foot forward for myself and the team,” she declared.

While her immediate focus is on helping Jamaica secure a series win, Plummer also has her eyes set on long-term goals. With the next Netball World Cup scheduled for 2027, she is determined to elevate her game and contribute to Jamaica’s quest for global dominance.

“This series is a great opportunity to test ourselves against one of the top teams in the world, but it’s also a stepping stone for bigger things. We want to keep building and ensure that when the World Cup comes around, we’re ready to challenge for the title. For now, it’s about putting it all together because I believe our best is yet to come, and I’m excited to be part of this journey,” the jovial Plummer ended.

England interim manager Lee Carsley said the widened pool of young players available for selection will help incoming boss Thomas Tuchel.

Carsley was handed the reins to the national team temporarily following Gareth Southgate's departure and has given opportunities to young players during his short spell, which will end with the Nations League match against the Republic of Ireland on Sunday. 

The 50-year-old has handed debuts to six players - Morgan Gibbs-White, Angel Gomes, Noni Madueke, Lewis Hall, Morgan Rogers and Curtis Jones - during his five-match reign. 

"The challenge [for the young players] is to stay there now. It's a tough squad to get into, and they've put themselves in the picture," the outgoing coach said. 

"It's good for Thomas [Tuchel, who takes charge on January 1] that the pool has increased.

"I've seen them up close. I know what they're capable of, and they've got the mentality to compete. There are so many quality players, the competition is extreme, and they've got to stay in the race."

Carsley came under pressure after the Three Lions lost 2-1 to Greece at Wembley in October, but a 3-0 win in the return fixture on Thursday has put them in a strong position in their Nations League group. 

England suffered a fifth consecutive loss as South Africa held on to clinch a thrilling 29-20 win at Twickenham on Saturday.

After an open first half, the Springboks dug deep in the second, with Cheslin Kolbe's try ensuring they got over the line.

It had started so well for England, who took the lead just four minutes in as Marcus Smith's dummied drop-goal gave Ollie Sleightholme the chance to cross.

South Africa took their chances when they came though, and three quickfire tries put them in control.

Grant Williams raced through a gap, leaving Freddie Steward behind, and though Smith's kick edged England in front again, Pieter-Steph du Toit and Kolbe kept the momentum with them.

Sam Underhill burrowed through to make it a two-point game at the break, but Kolbe scored the only try of the second half after Handre Pollard's penalty to put them out of sight.

An increasingly desperate England tried to fight back but struggled to find a way through their stubborn opponents as they suffered a third consecutive defeat in their autumn series.

Data Debrief: A worrying sight

England cannot seem to find a win at the moment, as they struggled to come up with ideas to try and get what would have been a first victory since June. 

The good news for them is that their final match of the autumn campaign is against Japan, who they beat in their most recent triumph by 35 points.

As for South Africa, they have now won four of their last five matches against England (L1), including each of their last three.

Harry Kane says his comments on club versus country got more attention than he expected and were "just a reminder" to his team-mates instead of a criticism.

England suffered nine injury withdrawals after Lee Carsley's squad was announced, with Kane seemingly questioning the commitment of those who dropped out, saying "England comes before everything".

Despite their many absences, a young England side recorded a 3-0 win over Greece on Thursday to send them top of their Nations League group.

However, the Three Lions have since seen a 10th withdrawal from the squad, with Ezri Konsa returning to Aston Villa after going off with a hip complaint in that game.

Speaking for the first time since that interview, Kane explained he was keen to preserve the team culture Gareth Southgate fostered by using these international breaks effectively.

"All the players try and give their best whenever they come with England. I know it's a really tough stage of the season," he said in a press conference.

"Whoever is in the squad is the most important thing. Whatever we have here is all we can work with.

"Going forward there are always going to be injuries, it is just whoever is with the squad is ready to make a difference."

On the attention his comments got, Kane added: "I didn't expect it to get as much coverage as it did. The November camp has always been difficult - you're in the heart of a lot of games.

"So, it's just my opinion that it is really important after a major championship, where September, October, November camps are really important in a year ahead to the World Cup.

"These are the camps as well where you build that culture and that togetherness that lead you into a World Cup. It was just a reminder that it's really, really special to play for England."

Kane started the match against Greece on the bench, with Ollie Watkins leading the line in his place. The Villa forward scored seven minutes in, before being replaced by the England captain in the 66th minute.

Interim boss Carsley, who is taking charge of his final game before Thomas Tuchel takes over on January 1, confirmed that Kane would be back in the starting line-up against the Republic of Ireland on Sunday.

"Yes, he is definitely playing," Carsley said.

"With Harry Kane, you always think goals, but he brings a lot more to the squad and the team than that. His leadership skills, he's a good guy, which is really important as well.

"The example he sets to the younger players, he's a crucial part of the England team and also moving forward."

England and Greece are both level on 12 points after five games, but the former have a better head-to-head goal difference, so a win over Ireland would see them promoted back to League A.