England “start the march to the World Cup” at Ellis Park on Saturday, all too aware that a fourth successive loss would seriously damage their credibility as a contender for honours in Japan next year.
Eddie Jones has challenged his players to rise to the occasion as they look to restore their reputation after a pitifully poor Six Nations, the head coach insisting that these are the sort of Tests that England need to overcome if they are to regain their status and silence the critics who have been “bagging us and saying we can’t win”. The wagons are circled, the siege mentality laid down. The road to redemption begins in Johannesburg.
“Everyone from ex-players to ex-coaches are saying that...