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England Country Profile

Can he ever be the same again?

Home stadium: Twickenham, London (82,000)

Nickname: Lillywhites, Red Roses

Number of rugby players in the country: 657,634

National rugby website address: www.rfu.com

Current national champions: 2007 - Leicester Tigers

Strengths: Massive player resources, financial clout, meaty forwards

Weaknesses: Administrative discord, self-belief, dearth of backline creativity

History in the tournament: 1987 - quarter-finals; 1991 - losing finalist; 1995 - semi-finals; 1999 - quarter-finals; 2003 - winners.

Prediction for this tournament: A loss to South Africa in the group stages will make the going tough. No further than the quarter-finals stage.

Coach: Former Bath stalwart Brian Ashton succeeded Andy Robinson as England coach after the disastrous November Test series of 2006, inheriting a team in flux. Ashton, who had a year as Ireland coach in 1996/7 before leaving to be first England attack coach and then Bath coach, is reputed to be one of the finest backs coaches in operation and is a passionate advocate of wide, adventurous rugby. As a canny scrum-half, Ashton travelled widely, representing the likes of Fylde, Orrell, AS Montferrand, Roma and Milan - but he never represented England. The closest he came was as an unused replacement against Scotland in 1975.

Key player: The Newcastle Falcons fly-half's long limp from Rugby World Cup to Rugby World Cup has been well documented, and the jury is out on whether Wilko will ever be able to rekindle his form of old. Surviving two recent onslaughts from the Boks (and playing well) would have helped soothe his battered confidence, but the proof will be in the French pudding. If he fires - and his forwards give him the front foot - England could cause an upset or two in France.

Captain: Wasps prop Phil Vickery bounced back from three years of injury hell in 2006 to reclaim his place in England's front row - and the captaincy. A brooding and assured character, Vickery is one of the few remaining players who participated in the Rugby World Cup victory of 2003, and the 'Raging Bull' would love nothing more than to defy the massed ranks of critics who say England haven't a hope of successfully defending their title.

Rising star: The fact that Tom Rees is the only specialist openside in the squad speaks volumes for his standing in the minds of Brian Ashton and his cohorts. A forger in the Josh Kronfeld mould, the young Wasps star has asserted his right to berth in one of club rugby's most illustrious back-rows. A lack of Test experience - and inches - might impede his progress in France, but those exact attributes might allow the hugely industrious youngster to surprise his opponents.

Team Nemesis: New Zealand, themselves, media expectations, flu!

Likely headlines: 'England up the spout as Jonny breaks', 'English head to Dunkirk', 'Champs to Chumps', 'Ashton sifts through the ashes'.

Price of a pint: Around E4.70

Rugby player/sheep ratio: 1:12