According to Sir Clive Woodward, the match against Samoa served as a significant awakening for England, highlighting areas they need to address.
He feels that England narrowly escaped a challenging situation, but the responsibility of making crucial decisions for the upcoming quarter-finals now rests on head coach Steve Borthwick’s shoulders.
In his recent column, the former 2003 World Cup-winning coach emphasises the need for England to inject more speed into their team and ensure that every player is positioned optimally.
Woodward suggests that for their quarter-final encounter with Fiji, England should consider implementing four substantial changes.
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Bring in Zach Mercer:
He wrote: “One decision Borthwick can make is to bring Gloucester’s No 8 Zach Mercer into the squad, replacing the injured Jack Willis, as he can up the tempo.
“England are slow from 1 to 15. We have got some amazing players but I would be very serious about sending for Mercer, who is a quick back-rower, now there is a spot available.”
