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The captain has not been at his most influential thus far but Eddie Jones and his team know that often allows George Ford to prosper and are thinking ahead to quarter-finals
This week some of England’s players have visited the Meiji Shrine, dedicated to one of Japan’s most influential emperors, where worshippers go to write prayers and wishes on small wooden tablets called ema. These are then placed in a designated area to be sent on to the gods. “Can you improve Owen Farrell’s form?” is currently in danger of becoming a frequent request.
If that sounds a touch unfair on England’s relentlessly competitive captain, even the squad’s attack coach, Scott Wisemantel, has conceded aspects of Saturday’s midfield display against Argentina were “clunky” before Farrell’s four missed first-half kicks from four attempts are also taken into account. No one should ever doubt the 28-year-old’s mental strength but his shift back from 10 to 12 to accommodate George Ford has not yet prompted a noticeable upturn in influence. Continue reading...