‘That’s our aim’ – Maro Itoje on England’s World Cup chances as Steve Borthwick lays down future plans
'That's our aim' - Maro Itoje on England's World Cup chances as Borthwick lays down future plans
England head coach Steve Borthwick says he’s pleased to finally have clarity on who his side will face at the 2027 World Cup, following Wednesday’s pool draw.
Watched by over 40,000 people on YouTube, plus many more on other platforms, Borthwick’s men were drawn against Wales, Tonga and Zimbabwe in Pool F of the new six-pool format.
Joining the head coach at the press conference afterwards, England captain Maro Itoje expressed his excitement at the news: “To know who we are playing at this stage is no longer a guessing game.
“It’s crystal clear who we’ve got, and it’s just exciting. World Cups are always so exciting. I can definitely speak on behalf of the players; we definitely relish the opportunity. So the overwhelming feeling is excitement.”
Borthwick echoed: “I think that the draw today feels like the road to the World Cups really started. Now I feel like it’s really gonna accelerate for me. And I know from chatting to a number of people this morning that there’s a feeling of excitement and lots of talk and buzz around it, which is just wonderful.”
How England can improve on semi-final finish
England beat all expectations in the 2023 World Cup, finishing in third place after narrowly losing to the Springboks in the semi-final in France. This time around, Borthwick’s men are expected to be better prepared and intent on winning their first world title since 2003.
“We know those margins in those games are very tight, and you can see that you saw in those knockout games,” said Borthwick.
“So many of them are decided by less than three points. So, when you reach those final stages, every team is a top-quality team. Then that’s when your experience counts.
“The togetherness of your team counts and how good you are tactically. So over the next two years, we’re going to be working very, very hard and continue to work very, very hard in that direction.
“I’ve been really pleased with the progress the team has made so far in that regard, and I expect the intensity of our training to go up even further from where it is now, and we’ll continue to develop the scenario aspect of our training to replicate those game situations the finals of the World Cup demand.”
Itoje added: “The only thing I’ll add to what Steve has said is ultimately it comes down to big moments and how, you know, accurate and clinical we can be in those big moments. And I think the progression of this team is that you can see us taking advantage of those big moments more and more, and want to build on that and make sure by the time we get to 2027 when those big moments come.”
Can England win the World Cup?
Borthwick was keen to stress that the World Cup is still two years away, and that the focus still needs to be on the here and now.
“You can start thinking about all kinds of different aspects, and you miss what’s immediately in front of you. Now we know that World Cup games are hugely competitive. The margins and World Cups have really tightened up, and what we see in this tournament is a new dimension, with a round of 16, so we’re seeing new teams involved in the tournament.
“So from my point of view, we’ll concentrate or make sure we’re the best prepared team we possibly can be going into the tournament, and we will continue to build and improve throughout.”
Itoje signed off by confirming that all roads lead to victory at the 2027 World Cup: “That’s definitely our goal, that’s our aim, that’s our objective. But to do that, we know we have to make sure we get our preparation right, and the next two years leading up to the World Cup is massive.
“Rome wasn’t built in a day, so we need to build throughout time and make sure that we are tracking in the right direction.”
