England looking for love but need a World Cup performance to win public over

Maro Itoje and pals launch their Rugby World Cup bid tonight at Stade Velodrome in France’s second city. They do so wishing the nation would rejoin them on their journey

Maro Itoje watched enviously as the country threw its support behind the national football and cricket teams - now he wants a piece of the action.

He saw how England united to roar the Three Lions and 11 Lionesses into major finals, the way the nation lived every moment of a stunning Ashes series with Ben Stokes and his Bazballers.

There has been no acclaim for the England rugby team since 2019, their few successes achieved behind closed doors in Covid isolation.

One defeat has followed another, even the art of try scoring has been lost. The faith of the great English public has gone with it. Twickenham was barely two-thirds full for their last game.

Against that sorry backdrop Itoje and pals launch their Rugby World Cup bid tonight at Stade Velodrome in France’s second city. They do so wishing the nation would rejoin them on their journey.

“We’ve seen how England gets behind their national teams,” Itoje said. “We want to produce rugby that will get the country behind us.

“I think back to 2002 when I was in primary school and there were England flags everywhere. We were watching the football World Cup during maths and science lessons.

“As I’ve got older I’ve seen how these things go, how it can captivate the country. We want to be a part of something special and that journey starts this weekend.”

There is a sense among Steve Borthwick’s unrated squad that it will be alright on the night. That cometh the hour their big-time players will do what they haven’t done for too long.

As Itoje puts it: “We know who we are, we know the type of players we have, we know the potential of this group.”

You would expect him to say that, in fact you’d be horrified if he didn’t. Only it does not chime with what is being said on the outside.

Former Red Rose star James Simpson-Daniel told the Online Betting Guide “England might not get out of the group. Looking at the form, why would you think they could?”

Kenny Logan, formerly of Scotland, added that from a playing point of view “they have no freedom and they play like robots. It is so one-dimensional.”

These are variations on a theme widely available, and frequently articulated, on social media.

Rugby fans need little more than gentle persuasion to join a party. The question is does this England set-up have it within itself to bring the country onboard by unleashing a daring spirit?

They will need to stop giving away penalties, stop collecting cards, stop kicking aimlessly and bring forward to today all this talk of a brighter tomorrow.

“Steve’s picked a side to go out there and play the way we want to play,” said Elliot Daly. “A team that’s going to go and attack Argentina.

“As a kid I watched every ball of the 2005 Ashes. That is what I play this game for now, to be one of those people everyone is looking at to provide them with something to really get behind.

“We want to produce a performance, we want to go far in this competition.”

England: Steward; May, Marchant, Tuilagi, Daly; Ford, Mitchell; Genge, George, Cole, Itoje, Chessum, Lawes (capt), Curry, Earl.

Replacements: Dan, Marler, Stuart, Martin, Ludlam, Care, Smith, Lawrence.

Argentina: Mallia; Boffelli, Cinti, Chocobares, M Carreras; S Carreras, Bertranou; Gallo, Montoya (capt), Gomez Kodela, Lavanini, Alemanno, Martin Gonzalez, Kremer, Matera.

Replacements: Creevy, Sclavi, Bello, Petti Pagadizabal, Rubiolo, Bruni, Bazan Velez, Moroni.

Referee: Mathieu Raynal (France)