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Tactical kicking is increasingly important and England and Owen Farrell are masters of the art
After watching New Zealand, South Africa, England and Ireland – the four most-fancied teams at the World Cup – play their first matches over the weekend it is already clear how much of a weapon tactical kicking is going to be. All four teams needed no second invitation to put boot to ball. In England’s case it was maybe a little too much but, as I have said before in these pages, they are the best tactical kicking team in the world so it is no surprise they played to their strengths.
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