Blackett: Plenty of time to develop England attack

NEW attack coach Lee Blackett is convinced he has enough time to give England the tools needed to challenge for the 2027 Rugby World Cup.

- DUNCAN BECH

Blackett will leave Bath at the end of the month to join head coach Steve Borthwick’s revamped backroom team with the autumn series opener against Australia scheduled for November 1 - the first of around 21 Tests before Australia 2027.

The 42-year-old former Wasps boss will take charge of the attack after impressing in the role as a temporary appointment during the successful summer tour to Argentina and the USA when Richard Wigglesworth was on British & Irish Lions duty.

Now that the halfway mark of the current World Cup cycle has been reached, planning for the 2027 tournament ramps up, but Blackett understands the danger of looking beyond the Wallabies’ visit to Allianz Stadium.