England are yet to establish themselves as genuine Rugby World Cup contenders for the 2027 tournament in Australia.
New talents have injected energy into Steve Borthwick’s side, and wins over Ireland in 2024 and France this year have offered glimpses that England could challenge in two years’ time.
But without a Six Nations title since 2020, or a notable win over one of the southern hemisphere’s elite since 2022, they remain just outside rugby’s top table – ranked fifth in the world rankings.
This autumn’s fixtures against Australia, Fiji, New Zealand and Argentina present a chance to change that narrative.
Being on the fringe of the world’s best is not a bad place to be two years out from the showpiece event, but the time to make a move is now.
“The ceiling for this team is right up at the sky,” England captain Maro Itoje told BBC’s Rugby Union Weekly. “When you represent England you want to win trophies – Six Nations and World Cups.
“That’s definitely the ambition of this team. We have to work together, align and build the mentality.
“To reach those goals we have to win games like the one in front of us [against Australia]. That’s why this weekend is extremely important.”
Since this year’s disappointing opening Six Nations defeat by Ireland, England have put together a seven-match winning streak.
An impressive series victory in Argentina, while their British and Irish Lions were away in Australia, showcased some of their best rugby under Borthwick.
Late-game lapses cost England last autumn, when both the Wallabies – now a far stronger outfit – and the All Blacks snatched wins in the closing stages.
Borthwick has responded by naming six Lions – including Ellis Genge and Tom Curry – on the bench for the game with Australia, hoping to maintain intensity deep into the match.
Things are moving in the right direction: depth is building, performances are improving – but to truly believe, England must now start beating the best on a consistent basis.
“It is about how hard we are willing to work in order to solve problems when the game gets a bit sticky,” added Itoje.
“When faced with adversity, it is about how we react and support each other.
“They are important characteristics and attributes to be a dominant team.”
