New-look England set-up is all about evolution not revolution

BY THE time England face Argentina on Friday night, they will have been around France in 57 days.

- Nick Purewal

What started with a 27-10 win over Argentina in Marseille will finish with a battle for third place against them.

England arrived in Le Touquet on August 31, and embarked on a tour of the country and their own ambitions en route to Saturday's semi-final with South Africa.

When Phileas Fogg went around the world in 80 days, his manservant Jean Passepartout provided all the ways and means to meet that madcap deadline.

England were almost the Passepartout of this tournament - the literal translation being "pass through everything" but the common usage being skeleton key.

Steve Borthwick's resurgent side have done anything other than gone round in circles in France, and so nearly unlocked this competition in stunning fashion.

Saturday night's agonising 16-15 defeat by the Springboks will see the door close on a clutch of England careers, as time catches up with some Borthwick's most experienced men.

For so long after the 2019 World Cup final, England were doomed to a series of false starts under Eddie Jones, to the point where the RFU sacked the taskmaster Australian in December.

Borthwick had little time to turn England from a team that "weren't good at anything" into potential world beaters.

The 44-year-old former Leicester head coach has come far closer to achieving the ultimate goal than many had expected. But it is South Africa who will face New Zealand for the Webb Ellis Cup in Paris on Saturday night.

By that time, Borthwick will already be plotting England's new voyage.