The future is now for England - Rowntree

Graham Rowntree insists England can win the World Cup despite possessing a team whose best years lie two to three years in the future.

Rowntree, the Red Rose forwards coach, was responding to comments made by Rob Andrew in which the Rugby Football Union's professional rugby director stated the current squad will not reach their peak around 2017-18.

“Is this team going to peak at this World Cup? I doubt it. I suspect this team will get better over the next two or three years,” said Andrew, who added that the inexperience would not prevent England being crowned world champions in October.

England’s starting XV for their final warm-up game against Ireland at Twickenham on Saturday contains 439 caps, over 200 less than the average of 664 for the four sides who have lifted the Webb Ellis Cup since 1995.

Rowntree, who declared “our World Cup starts tomorrow”, accepts the squad is still early in its development cycle but does not view that as an obstacle to claiming the ultimate prize over the next two months.

“As Rob said, we know that we can win a World Cup with this group of players. And that excites me,” Rowntree said.

“This team will only get better and better with experience, let’s all agree that. I can see that from working with the guys day in, day out.

“We will absolutely get better with experience and we will be become more experienced in three years’ time.”

England have opted to take the away dressing room at Twickenham for Saturday’s clash in preparation for their World Cup opener against Fiji.

The tournament hosts must wear their red alternate kit and have been designated the visitors’ changing room for the September 18th showdown against the Fijians, who also wear white, after losing a coin toss overseen by World Rugby last year.

As a result, head coach Stuart Lancaster has requested that his players use their final World Cup warm-up match against Ireland to familiarise themselves with the away dressing room.