England have moved into the Japanese equivalent of Rotorua with hot springs all around them and a whiff of sulphur in the air. Look out of the hotel window and there is so much rising steam it suddenly becomes easier to understand why the tournament organisers chose unflashy Oita to stage two of this weekend’s four quarter-finals.
Because this week is all about staying relaxed under pressure: who will respond best and not blow their tops as the tension mounts? Given only four of England’s squad – Ben Youngs, Manu Tuilagi, Dan Cole and Courtney Lawes – have experienced a World Cup knockout game, it is an area Australia will hope to examine given the way their opponents imploded during the 2015 pool stages.
Written by Robert Kitson in Oita
This news first appeared on https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2019/oct/15/joe-marler-england-australia-rugby-world-cup-quarter-final under the title “Joe Marler embraces England’s positivity and ‘bring-it-on mentality’ | Robert Kitson”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.