WORLD IN MOTION

England bid for 2027 triumph kicks off today as Itoje aims to boss every Test in autumn series

- ADAM HATHAWAY

MARO ITOJE parked his victorious summer with the British and Irish Lions and declared the World Cup starts now, nearly two years out from Australia 2027.

The England captain, who skippered Andy Farrell's Lions to a 2-1 win over the Wallabies gets another crack at Joe Schmidt's side at Twickenham today.

The clash, which opens the November campaign for Steve Borthwick’s men, is followed by meetings with Fiji, New Zealand and Argentina - and Itoje is desperate for his side to build on a run of seven straight wins.

The only time England's men ruled the world, under Sir Clive Woodward in 2003, they arrived Down Under on the back of wins, home and away, against all the southern-hemisphere giants, and a Six Nations Grand Slam.

And Itoje wants England to piece together a similar record, with the clock ticking until they land in Australia with the Webb Ellis Cup on the line.