In all but name, this is England's quarter-final rugby team.

Steve Borthwick mixed courage with pragmatism in his choice. Photo: Getty Images/Dan Mullan

Steve Borthwick will no doubt insist his only goal over the next few days is to beat Samoa, and his squad selection for England's final game in Lille on Saturday suggests preparations for The quarter-finals are already underway.

For a game in which there is no danger — Japan's victory over Samoa last week confirmed England's status as Group D winners even before a ball was kicked — Borthwick had the opportunity to change his line-up and wrap key players in cotton wool.

Instead, the England manager gave it his all: this looks to be his squad for the quarter-finals, except for the name. The attractive choice, of course, is that he placed George Ford and Owen Farrell in the back row, renewing their 10/12 partnership which was last seen out of action since the Six Nations match against Ireland in March 2021.

Borthwick has so far shown his pragmatism in his selection — Billy Vunipola, another pre-tournament starter, has lost his place in the starting XI due to suspension and Ben Earl's explosive form. Dan Cole, England's first-line grandmaster aged 36, also forced his way into the starting line-up ahead of Kyle Sinclair thanks to his form and approach in training.

The captain has now been moved into the central position and appears to be , adapted his physical form to give his physique volume for this role.

Selecting two playmakers — with the further option of introducing Marcus Smith from the bench — gives England their best chance of finding more rhythm and precision in their attacking play.

The combination first flourished during the heady days of Eddie Jones' first two years in charge. Now the two former classmates, two of the team's best football minds, have the opportunity to prove that their partnership is crucial to England's knockout hopes.

Owen Farrell (left) and George Ford are tied at 10-12 for the first time since March 2021. Photo: PA/David Davies

“They have a great relationship built from a very young age,” Borthwick said. “They spent a lot of time together, starting in their teens, playing throughout the education system in England.

“They are very close both on and off the field. They have excellent mutual understanding. Ability they have to swap — While George plays 10 and Owen has 12 on his back, I often see them as first and second receivers in reverse, simply because of their ability to adapt.

“ It gives us the ability to move the ball and also gives us great passing, running and shooting options. We've also seen Owen's run and carry game develop. We have many great opportunities in this partnership.

“I think they've played 40 Tests together with a winning percentage of almost 80 per cent, so I'm looking forward to seeing them play together on Saturday. They haven't been together since the start of the game for obvious reasons, so it's important that we see them against Samoa. This is the right partnership for the game against Samoa.

“We work as a partnership and throughout the summer I have been very clear about how everything is planned and how we always need to be able to adapt. As for training together, they spent a lot of time training together.»

With the prospect of facing Fiji in the quarter-finals in Marseille on October 15, the chance to toughen up his first choice against a Samoan side battling for automatic qualification for the next World Cup is ideal preparation.

The carrot of knowing quarter-final places were on the line was to produce the team's best performance in a game that, given England's qualifications, was in danger of losing any meaningful significance. Joe Marchant, starting on the wing with Elliot Daly completely out of the 23, also has a great chance to secure his place.

Tom Curry, importantly, returns to the back row after serving two of his matches. disqualification for the match for a red card against Argentina. Along with Courtney Laws and Earle, the England back line has a menacing physical edge.

«The intensity with which he has trained since he was unable to play has been phenomenal,» Borthwick added. “For someone to be able to have the impact he had in just two minutes shows the quality and outstanding player that this man is. I'm looking forward to his return to the team and know he's desperate to get back on the field on Saturday.

“All three players can handle the ball, all three players have speed and athleticism. All three players also have ball-handling ability. Courtney provides a presence in the lineout, with all three showing a jackal presence on the break.»

Samoa may be in the spotlight, but Borthwick and England are already in Fiji's sights.