Where does this leave Farrell?

"It was Ford's composure at a time of stress that steered England to victory"

- PAUL REES

STEVE Borthwick tore up his playbook with the team he selected to face Argentina and his boldness saw a team that had sleepwalked through August stir themselves, but a victory against Argentina when they were a player short for all but the first three minutes raised another issue.

The game's commanding figure was outside-half George Ford, who was playing because Owen Farrell was banned.

It was his composure at a time of stress that steered England to a commanding and decisive victory while Courtney Lawes led the side, as he had in Australia last year, with a calm authority.

Farrell will miss the game against Japan next Sunday as he completes his ban for a high tackle on Wales back rower Taine Basham, but will there be a place for him in the final group match against Samoa and the quarter-final which is now far more probable than possible? That Argentina unravelled so completely was down to the pressure Ford exerted.

England finishing a match without scoring a try would ordinarily prompt outcry and inquests, but here it did not matter.

He ensured that the one-man disadvantage did not matter and he rolled back the years by resorting to a relic of the game, the drop goal.

Drop goals used to be worth more than a try, four points compared to three, but they have become a rarity in the modern day as teams look to turn visits to the 22 into seven points.

England have struggled to score tries this year and when they lost Tom Curry after three minutes and trailed to the subsequent penalty by Emiliano Boffelli, a team under pressure had to look to develop within itself.