The Mail on Sunday

WHAT ENGLAND GIVE SHOULD DO TO RIVALS THE BOOT

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RATHER than go for safetyfirs­t and kick immediatel­y, on occasions I’d like to see England pass the ball wide. The backline is loaded with attacking threats like Elliot Daly and Henry Slade, who all have the ability to act as a second kicker.

Initially, they could try to get the ball to Jonny May or Anthony Watson out wide. If that doesn’t work out, then they can think about kicking, or take the ball into contact to reset.

It keeps the opposition guessing, so they can’t just load the backfield waiting for the kick. The open wing has to start coming up while the 15 worries about a kick on the far edge.

Kicks from wide can result in exciting rugby. Defences are less structured and a bouncing grubber down the wing is hard to defend.

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