A mooted breakaway global league is the latest curveball threatening to destabilise the sport with the newly elected chair of World Cup suggesting rugby's financial sustainability is at crisis point.
A morale-lifting win, by whatever means, would transform an uncertain current narrative and cast England's recent string of near misses in a relatively more flattering light.
Steve Borthwick's side looked purposeful in the summer but have since played mostly in fits and starts, finding alarming defensive holes against teams like the Wallabies.
The Springbok scrum do not mess around and their increasing aura and confidence is evident, especially in tight games that England have struggled to close out.
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