However, although there have been signs of more consistency in the pool stage - and Chessum's try against Samoa, and others, have been reasonably well worked-overall England have not been playing well. The main reason for this is a high error count, and particularly the amount of compound errors, where one mistake follows another. These are like a hammer blow for any team.
England will have to resolve this against Fiji, and they will also have to work out how to get the best from Marcus Smith, because I did not see head coach Borthwick picking him out of position at full-back in a World Cup quarter-final.
In one sense it can be seen as a positive, because Borthwick has been pretty conservative in selection, but it is also a risk. Fiji do kick, especially box-kicks from scrumhalf, and they are much better drilled than they were, including no longer playing fifteens like sevens.
Smith is in a difficult position because the expectation is for him to carry England to glory in Marseille with his footwork, pace, and playmaking skill-set. The difference between Owen Farrell and Smith at fly-half is that Farrell plays by rote, whereas Smith reacts to what is in front of him - but expecting him to do it from full-back is a big ask.
Borthwick's decision to go with Farrell over Ford is also no surprise, because Farrell is his choice as captain, and against Fiji's big runners is probably more effective at 10 in the front-on defence required against them.
I don't believe that the Fijian kicking will be loose from scrumhalf, and it could expose England to high ball pressure across the whole of the back three without Freddie Steward in the starting 15, with Smith replacing him, and Jonny May and Elliot Daly on the wings.
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der October 15, 2023-Ausgabe von The Rugby Paper.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent ? Anmelden
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der October 15, 2023-Ausgabe von The Rugby Paper.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent? Anmelden
Ten-try Chiefs show Pirates no mercy
TEN-TRY Exeter inflicted the backlash from six successive defeats in their worst ever start to a Premiership season on a young Pirates side suffering their own problems in the Championship.
South America look to keep on building
AS Sebastián Piñeyrúa's historic six-year term as President of Rugby Sudamérica comes to an end, his replacement shows no signs of slowing down.
Scarratt excited by new pathway
ENGLAND centurion Emily Scarratt is delighted with the new women's BUCS programme which aims to provide a smoother pathway for young aspiring female players.
Baxter: I want to make things better
ROB Baxter will not be walking away from Exeter, the only club still looking for a Premiership victory this season, believing he can get the Chiefs back on track and he cannot bear the thought of anyone else doing the job.
Pearce walks in his father's footsteps
PADDY Pearce is living a dream after emulating his father and great-uncle by playing for the club he supported as a boy, Bristol.
New England group will cause uncertainty
SO JUST when we thought that everything was getting sorted between the RFU, the clubs and players, a number of new agreements and a new group raises its head.
Galthie turns his sights to the future
FRANCE head coach Fabien Galthie offered the clearest hint yet of Les Bleus' future on Wednesday, when he released 19 players back F to their clubs for the ninth and final Top 14 round before the international break.
Gilmore has tightened up our defence - Anderson
CAMERON Anderson has hailed the impact made by defence coach Jason Gilmore, below, since he arrived at The Stoop in the summer.
Ampthill given 11-try lesson in class from Bath
BATH secured a thumping away success in the opening match of their Premiership Rugby Cup campaign against Ampthill at Dillingham Park.
New faces take the plaudits for Saints
NORTHAMPTON handed out a thorough lesson to a tame Leicester team in this one-sided East Midlands derby to launch the Premiership Cup.