England forwards coach Graham Rowntree impressed by Australia

Wallabies flanker Michael Hooper has formed a formidable loose forward partnership alongside David Pocock.

“I think they’ll come out of the back of this game even better, unfortunately”.

Whitton Road, Rugby Road, Mogden Lane and part of Whitton Dene will also be closed on match days. He may be up against the ex-rugby league star for a place in the final World Cup squad, but Slade agrees there is an aura about Burgess.

Meanwhile, Johnson said England could not afford to under-estimate Fiji, who beat Samoa last week to win the Pacific Nations Cup title, in their World Cup opener at Twickenham on September 18.

“All that will be left to do afterwards is cheer on the rugby players as they aim to keep the trophy in England after the tournament”.

“It’s the toughest pool there has ever been in a World Cup and someone will be going home early”.

“But in a way it won’t do England any harm at all”.

ALL that stands in Henry Slade’s way of a World Cup place is Sam Burgess – but former England captain Martin Johnson is urging the Exeter Chief that patience is indeed a virtue.

Councillors have been invited to games including crucial group match England vs Australia on October 3 and the final on October 31.

HAWKEYE TECHNOLOGY IS to be used for the first time at an England match in Twickenham this weekend in a bid to help medical teams assess potential concussions during games.

“Having said that, if you can’t get out of that group you were never going to win it anyway”.

The Springboks are the biggest recent losers in worldwide rugby.

But lock enforcer Johnson, who also led the 1997 Lions to an astonishing Neil Jenkins-fired Test glory over then world champions South Africa, was more circumspect in his assessment of Pool A.

“It’s a flawless opening game for Fiji because while everyone is talking about England, Wales and Australia, they’ll be thinking “whoa, don’t forget us, we can play a bit too”, he warned. A week or so ago – after their close loss to the All Blacks and with new midfielders Damian de Allende and Jesse Kriel shining, their supporters would have approached the tournament with confidence.

“Jonny comes here every now and again”.

Not only are they in the “pool of death”, but their lead-up form is less than inspiring.

“Browny (Mike Brown) has been playing well over the past two years or so and for me it’s about putting a big performance for me”, he said.

“If you’re making a pass directly backwards the defence has all that way to run”.

Lord True, who will be attending the final with his wife, said: “The acceptance of complimentary ticket numbers at this level is entirely appropriate given that this borough is the home of rugby and there is no cost to public funds”.

For all of their World Cup heroics in upsetting other nations – most notably New Zealand in 1999 and 2007 – France are yet to win the thing.

“People perceive they have weaknesses here and there, but they’re usually able to cover them up”. I expect them to get to the final.

Steve Hansen calls it boring, but many South Americans might beg to differ.