Rugby World Cup warm-up: England vs Ireland – Four key questions at Twickenham

Will warm-up form really affect World Cup performance?
Wales boss Warren Gatland was at his mischievous best in midweek, claiming neither England nor Ireland will want to kick-off the World Cup off the back of two-straight Test losses.

Whoever suffers defeat at Twickenham on Saturday will do just that, after England lost 25-20 to France in Paris and Wales turned Ireland over 16-10 in Dublin. England coach Stuart Lancaster and

Ireland counterpart Joe Schmidt have both been at pains to downplay Gatland’s barbs, but still, neither man will want to carry that millstone into the global battle.

Let the mind games begin – “England have got the problem of which way they want to play and who they want to play”. – Warren Gatland.

— EatSleepRugby (@Eat_Sleep_Rugby) September 1, 2015

Can England solve their set-piece shortcomings?
Exeter-bound lock Geoff Parling has been drafted in to captain England’s lineout and solve the problems that troubled Lancaster’s side in that Paris defeat to France. Straight-talking Parling has hit out at perceived over-the-top criticism of England’s lineout, especially where hooker Tom Youngs’ throwing is concerned. 

England are of course without confrontational hooker Dylan Hartley, the Northampton front-rower exiled from the World Cup squad after one too many bans for indiscipline. Parling and company are also fighting to reassert their scrummaging status too after patchy showings across their warmup fixtures.

Ireland have been rock-solid at both scrum and lineout across their back-toback Six Nations victories, so a strong showing from England would go a long way to easing fraying tensions.

#bbcrugby Tom Youngs couldn’t throw a party.

— timothy cullinan (@timothycullinan) August 22, 2015

Tom Youngs couldn’t throw a game of tiddlywinks #ENGvFRA

— LeoMB (@LeoBurroughes) August 22, 2015

Can Tom Youngs actually throw the ball straight?

— Lucy (@lucyboyen) August 22, 2015

We simply cannot win a World Cup with Tom Youngs starting. He’s the international hooker who can’t throw straight…

— Jonathan Wilson (@JonnyPWilson) August 22, 2015

Can Burgess open up a Test backline? 
England’s Rugby League convert will have another chance to impress in the closing stages off the bench against Ireland. In his Twickenham bow against France, “Slammin’ Sam” brought all his physicality to bear, making several crowd-pleasing hits.

Show-stopping tackles are all well and good however, but England still crave a truly fluent, line-breaking midfield.

Burgess has been praised for his unsung work in attack, cutting astute dummy lines off the ball. For the former South Sydney superstar to transfer that status across the codes, however, he will need to sparkle with ball in hand too.

Can Zebo hold his own at full-back? 
Ireland boss Schmidt was expected to field his strongest-available side to face England, and in many senses that is certainly the case. But frontline full-back Rob Kearney is the notable omission, with Munster flyer Simon Zebo handed another chance to impress in the 15 shirt.

Zebo will be chasing a starting berth on the wing for the big World Cup battles, but for now must make do with continuing to hone his skills in his role as Kearney’s understudy. 

The British and Irish Lions star fared well enough at full-back in Ireland’s 28- 22 victory over Scotland in Dublin, but standing as the last defensive line against England at Twickenham is likely to be an entirely new proposition.

Previous meetings
Until they met at the Six Nations earlier this year England had made it 4 wins in 4 years over the Irish. The boys in green were in form when it came to March though as they took home the Six nations trophy with them. 

March 2015: Ireland 19 England 9 
February 2014: England 13 Ireland 10
February 2013: Ireland 6 England 12
March 2012: England 30 Ireland 9
August 2011: Ireland 9 England 20