We are just one day away from the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals and it is firmly north vs south hemisphere, with four teams from each in the final eight all playing against each other. Today is also the day that England boss Steve Borthwick names his side to face Fiji, as some controversial decisions are expected.
The head coach had a big decision to make over breaking up the midfield, which would mean dropping either captain Owen Farrell or one of the World Cup’s top performers in George Ford. Various reports have suggested that it is Ford who is likely to miss out, despite his dazzling displays in the skipper’s absence.
The team news comes at a time when Farrell was also reportedly involved in a bust-up with team-mate Henry Arundell, who scored five tries on his tournament debut but has since rarely featured. Details have since emerged that the young winger was upset with Farrell’s demands in training which led to the dispute.
Another divisive decision is set to be made at full-back, with Marcus Smith set to replace Freddie Stewart to add another playmaker to the team. However, Stewart has played 29 out of the last 30 Tests and many will see this change as a huge gamble against Fiji.
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