The 'aggressive' reason why Sam Warburton likes the look of England

Retired Wales skipper Sam Warburton has explained why England will be among the favourites to win the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia, 24 years after they were crowned champions in Sydney with a 2003 extra time win over the Wallabies. Beaten finalists in 2007 and 2019, the English were eliminated by defending champions South Africa in the semi-finals at the most recent World Cup last October, losing to a last-minute penalty in Paris kicked by Handre Pollard. 

England were criticised at that tournament for their blunt approach to playing the game, but they have since expanded their armoury and Steve Borthwick’s side were deemed to be unlucky losers in their recent two-Test series tour to New Zealand. Some new and re-energised players led the charge on that tour following a Six Nations that ended with the third place England winning more matches (three) than they lost for the first time since they were last crowned champions in 2020.   

That improvement caught the eye of Warburton, the 2013 and 2017 British and Irish Lions captain, and he has now delivered an optimistic long-term prediction about Borthwick’s refreshed squad. “England will 100 per cent be up there among the favourites for the next World Cup, without a doubt,” reckoned the Canterbury ambassador. “Watching their games in both tests against New Zealand, they just had some tough calls from the referee so they are only an interpretation away from two very good results. 

“The players they have got: In international rugby, you need big, skillful athletes and they have got so many skillful, aggressive athletes. (George) Martin has been a revelation. He had always shown promise in the earlier stages of his career but since the World Cup, he has been world class in that second row with Maro Itoje. 

“With (Chandler) Cunningham-South, I always wanted him to start in the Six Nations and he has now been starting. England have got a serious team to challenge in the World Cup. They will be a lot better next year and they will be competing for the Six Nations.”

Warburton also labelled Marcus Smith as the business following his return to the No10 England shirt on the recent tour in the absence of the injured George Ford. Smith had been Eddie Jones’ first choice out-half until his December 2022 sacking, but he had been tried out at full-back under Borthwick who preferred Owen Farrell and Ford as his World Cup out-half starters. 

With Farrell having since stepped away from the international scene, Ford was Borthwick’s choice for the 2024 Six Nations but his decision not to tour opened up the position again to Smith who travelled with his namesake Fin Smith as the bench cover.

“What England fans will be delighted with Marcus Smith is that at times he has played and it has not been the same player we have seen for Harlequins,” said Warburton. “We saw in both games (against New Zealand) lots of Marcus Smith that we see at the Quins. Crossfield kicks, ball in hand. Defensively, he is so much stronger than he was a few years ago. 

“Marcus Smith is the business and he is going to be England’s fly-half and they have got a great problem with him and Fin Smith. I say problem; it is not a problem because it’s what coaches dream of but they will need to be competing for the same shirt because I don’t think they will fit in the same team.”

• Canterbury ambassador Sam Warburton was speaking as the heritage rugby brand release their new boot collection, the Stampede. Click here to view the collection