The Breakdown | England need to unearth World Cup core despite derby friction and injury chaos

The Guardian

Nations Championship games against Australia and Japan should be the end of experimentation for Steve Borthwick Even on the most serene days no one would describe coaching England as a relaxing gig. With his side’s opening November Test looming on Sunday week, Steve Borthwick is already faced with assorted injury-related complications at precisely the moment he needs to start finding lasting answers to a range of fundamental selection questions. The untimely training field absence of Fin Smith, pencilled in to be England’s starting No 10, is a prime example. With the two leading midfield…