Baggage unpacked, England intent on making amends for 2015

The England players had to unload a lot of baggage and bring in a new coach to get over the bitter disappointment four years ago of becoming the first host of the Rugby World Cup to be eliminated in the pool stage.

No. 8 Billy Vunipola said a bit of therapy, with psychologist Corinne Reid, and new coach Eddie Jones had helped them get over the emotional pain and focus on making it right at the 2019 edition in Japan.

"Men don't know how to talk about their feelings. It took us a while, but we got there in the end," Vunipola said of the sessions with Reid.

"Being brutally honest can hurt a few feelings (but) it was really good (Reid) gave us the platform to do it.".

Jones was the head coach of Japan at the 2015 Rugby World Cup, when he masterminded the biggest upset in the tournament's history with a victory over twotime champion South Africa in Brighton. South Africa recovered to reach the semifinals.

England, the 2003 champion, failed to reach the knockout round from a tough pool containing twotime winner Australia and Wales.

Vunipola, born in Australia into a family of Tongan international rugby players, qualified for England by residency and made his debut in 2013. He was set to play a big role in the 2015 World Cup but injured his knee in the group-stage loss to Wales and was ruled out of the remainder of the tournament.

Jones, who was head coach when Australia lost the 2003 Rugby World Cup final in extra-time to England, and was a consultant with South Africa when the Springboks beat England for the title in '07, is now at the helm of English rugby.

The straight-talking Australian puts a major emphasis on the squad being more important than individuals, and the England players are buying into it.

"Eddie has definitely got the baggage out," said Vunipola, who has started 11 tests this year at No. 8. "It was something that was very important to us, and it has probably freed us up a lot in terms of our relationships."

Vunipola said the respect within the England squad was "on a different level to any England side I've previously been involved with," and was translating onto the field.

"We've talked about things we've never previously been able to put out there as a group and it's brought us closer together," he said. "There is a lot more respect in that changing room for each other and it's been really fun."

England opened with a 35-3 win over Tonga and a 45-7 win over the United States, and now faces two-time semifinalists Argentina on Saturday in Pool C.

Argentina is playing for survival after opening with a loss against France. Only the top two teams in each group advance to the knockout stage, and No. 3-ranked England is favored to top Pool C.

"Our destiny is in our own hands still and we have to put down a marker, not for anyone else but for ourselves as a team," Vunipola said. "We have talked a lot about it, but talking is different to doing."

Scotland heading for drama in Yokohama vs. Japan at RWC

For Scotland coach Gregor Townsend, it all depends on whether you're a glass half-full or half-empty kind of guy. Townsend himself is going with half-full.

Scotland is heading for a highpressure Rugby World Cup game against host Japan at the end of the pool stage with a place in the quarterfinals likely at stake.

Could be invigorating for the Scots. Or could be intimidating.

"I suppose if you're a glass halffull person you see it as a really exciting challenge," Townsend said. "And one you can't wait to take on. If you're glass half-empty, then it is a scary challenge. We'll look at that optimistically."

The Scotland-Japan battle for the quarters at the World Cup has history.

Four years ago, Scotland and Japan also played in the same pool. Both won three out of their four games but Scotland went through to the quarterfinals because of its two bonus points. Japan went home utterly dejected at missing out on a first trip to the quarters after shocking two-time world champion South Africa at the start of the tournament.

At home this year, Japan has produced another eye-popping upset to beat Ireland and is rugby's most feared giant killer right now.

Scotland will be up against a team probably still bursting with confidence and a nation full of expectation in the final game of Pool A in Yokohama on Oct. 13, just under two weeks away.