England Rugby heading back to Jersey

England will return to Jersey for their pre-autumn training camp as they plot victories over World Cup rivals New Zealand and South Africa.

Eddie Jones’ squad will spend five days in the Channel Islands from October 26 and will be based at Jersey Reds, the setting for last year’s camp which preceded a clean sweep of wins against Tonga, Australia and the Springboks.

“We’re looking forward to getting started and these camps will be crucial preparation for big games this autumn,” Jones said.

“We have 13 Tests before the World Cup so each game is a great learning opportunity and a chance to keep moving forward for this young team. It’s vital that we keep building our cohesion and adapting tactically.

“We enjoyed our time in Jersey last year, it has excellent facilities and the island is a great setting for a productive training camp.

“It helped us lay the foundations for a successful autumn campaign and we want for more of the same this year.”

Mirroring their group schedule at next year’s World Cup, England’s first two matches of the Autumn Nations Series take place against Argentina and Japan.

On November 19 they face under-performing New Zealand, who have plummeted to fifth in the global rankings, before closing the month at Twickenham with the visit of South Africa.

“Our game is based on the traditional strengths of set-piece and physicality so we are aiming to set the tone in November, starting with an impressive Argentina team,” Jones said.