Andy Farrell says England World Cup training 'gruesome'
Wednesday 29 July 2015 17:21, UK
Coach Andy Farrell admits England’s World Cup squad were put through "gruesome" training in Colorado.
The 45-man squad was put through its paces at altitude in Denver, but the players are now back home for a week off.
The squad, which must be narrowed down to 31 for the World Cup, will return to Pennyhill Park to prepare for the warm-up match with France on August 15.
Backs and defence coach Farrell told the official Six Nations website: "We've put them to the sword quite a bit, some of the training sessions have been really gruesome.
"We wanted to see who came out fighting in those sessions and, to a man, all 45 have been exceptional.
"The best thing that has come out of it, the togetherness and the respect that comes from suffering together makes us tighter as a group.
"We have got to narrow it down to 31. It's a tough job in hand but we have a long time before we make our minds up on that.
"Some of the guys are in the best nick of their lives. There's a long time until the World Cup but certainly we are moving in the right direction."
