CHRIS FOY: England's World Cup plans are in disarray

CHRIS FOY: England’s World Cup plans are in disarray… Steve Borthwick took a risk with his squad and now he must face Argentina without his captain and his only specialist No 8

• England take on Argentina in their seismic World Cup opener on September 9 
• Steve Borthwick will be without captain Owen Farrell and No 8 Billy Vunipola 
• Both men have picked up untimely suspensions ahead of the major tournament 

As the disciplinary dust settles, the wreckage of England’s World Cup plans is now visible and the scale of the emergency rebuild is becoming apparent.

Going into a seismic tournament opener against Argentina in Marseille on September 9 without his captain, Owen Farrell, and his only specialist No 8, Billy Vunipola, would have been the stuff of Steve Borthwick’s nightmares. He had pinned so much responsibility on both men but now they are serving untimely bans.

In other areas, the head coach had ensured there was ample cover but he took a risk with the selection policy at No 8 and it has come back to haunt him. The younger Vunipola, 30, is unavailable to take on the Pumas, meaning England will turn up at Stade Velodrome with a square peg in a round hole for the fixture which could have a profound bearing on their entire World Cup campaign.

This awkward scenario shines a harsh light on the decision-making by Borthwick in a position where England originally had a multitude of options to choose from. 

Sam Simmonds ruled himself out as he prepared for a move from Exeter to Montpellier, having realised he would not be a front-runner for inclusion. Zach Mercer went the other way, signing for Gloucester with a view to getting picked, only to be abruptly discarded.

Steve Borthwick’s World Cup plans are in disarray ahead of England’s clash against Argentina

The head coach will be without his only specialist No 8 Billy Vunipola against the Argentines

Never mind what Mercer had done in Gallic rugby, which he took by storm. Simmonds and Mercer did not have the extreme bulk and power for what Borthwick had in mind. Alex Dombrandt tried in vain during the Six Nations to prove he could carry the team forward, but to no avail.

So all of them missed the cut, as did Tom Willis, who did not have enough time to prove he could become an explosive force at Test level, as he was for Bordeaux in Top 14. His chance will come, but not yet. Vunipola’s ban is short, so no replacement is required. The suspension of Farrell is a blow, of course, but there are available and proven Plan B options, with George Ford at 10 and Courtney Lawes as interim captain, until the second half of the pool stage. But in the back row it is a different story. Versatility will be fully tested.

Borthwick picked a squad of 33 full of utility value, so he has three contenders to deputise for Vunipola — Tom Curry, Lewis Ludlam and Ben Earl. But Curry will be chronically short of game-time, as the ankle injury sustained in training at the start of this month has evolved from a minor scare into a protracted saga.

Mail Sport understands he has grade-two ligament damage and will not play against Fiji on Saturday. That means one of the stalwarts of the England pack could go into the Argentina game without a competitive appearance since the Premiership final for Sale at the end of May.

England will now be left with a square peg in a round hole at No 8 in the absence of Vunipola. This awkward scenario shines a harsh light on the decision-making by Borthwick (above)

Vunipola and England captain Owen Farrell are serving untimely bans ahead of the World Cup

Curry is supremely professional and will prepare diligently, but it is not ideal. In the circumstances, it would be quite an ask for the flanker to jump back in at the deep end, out of position at No 8. He has played there in the past admirably, but it would make more sense for someone else to fill in.

Earl or Ludlam will be deployed at the base of the scrum against Fiji as an audition for Argentina. Both have plenty of experience at No 8 and dynamism as carriers, and Earl in particular has pace in his favour. But England crave gain-line clout, which Vunipola brings when at his best, although that has not been the case this month.

When he named his squad, Borthwick spoke at length about turning back to the veteran who he had previously overlooked. In doing so, he reflected on how big Billy is one of those players who needs on-field minutes to build up a head of steam and hit his stride.

Now, he will not be able to do that. He will have to spend the remainder of the pool stage — the games against Japan, Chile and Samoa — trying to rediscover his mojo to peak for the knockouts.

In the meantime, the scenario in the back row has shifted. It was seen as Lawes and Vunipola plus one, probably Curry. That unit looked reassuringly familiar and balanced. Now, it is Lawes plus two, with either Earl or Ludlam at No 8 and either Curry, if fit, Willis or Earl at openside. It is obvious that such uncertainty at this late juncture is a concern.

George Ford (above) will likely replace Farrell at fly-half, with Marcus Smith off the bench

Without Farrell, the fall-back plan at fly-half is more obvious — Ford to start and Marcus Smith primed to offer a new dimension from the bench.

They cannot both start, despite being on the field together at the end in Dublin last week, so the veteran is bound to be trusted to implement a gameplan which may need surgery to reflect the loss of Vunipola. 

For all their struggles in Dublin, Ben Youngs, Ford and Manu Tuilagi are the likely 9-10-12 combination in Marseille.

Lawes continuing as captain makes sense. He played well in the Irish capital, while England were in a collective state of disarray around him. He could play his 100th Test on Saturday, a shaft of light in a largely gloomy outlook.

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