While the likes of New Zealand, South Africa, France, and Ireland continue to impress ahead of next month's Rugby World Cup, it is a very different story when it comes to England.
Steve Borthwick's side continue to look completely rudderless in most areas of the game, with their convincing defeat in Dublin last weekend the latest example of their struggles. The team has been on a steady downward spiral for a few years, and while it would have been hoped that the departure of Eddie Jones would help steady the ship, it has not been the case thus far.
England will be helped somewhat by being on the more favourable side of the draw in the tournament, although their task in the pool stage has been made more difficult by two recent red cards. Both Owen Farrell and Billy Vinupola are set to miss key fixtures as a result of high tackles in successive fixtures.
Those bans have dominated the conversation around the team in recent days, leading some to worry about the impact it will have on their fortunes at the World Cup.
England legend fears repeat of 2011 World Cup disaster
England have had some brilliant World Cup campaigns, they have also had some disastrous ones over the last 15 years or so. They failed to get beyond the pool stage on home soil back in 2015, while their conduct off the pitch in 2011 becoming a huge distraction before their heavy defeat against France in the quarter-finals.
Those off the field matter dominated the narrative in New Zealand on that occasion, something that could be the case once again for this tournament.
Speaking to Sky Sports, England legend Will Greenwood fears there are shades of 2011 about the team's preparation for this edition of the event.
The first training session for the Chile game, where [Owen Farrell] becomes available, the world’s sporting media will be there to ask whether you bring your captain straight back into the side having missed the two big important pool games.
Everything you don’t want in a World Cup, which is external noise and having to deal with matters that have nothing to do with what your tactics are for the week, will rear its ugly head.
It has a feel to 2011, which was a poor World Cup campaign in New Zealand, as off-field matters seemed to overtake everything.
I know Martin Johnson, who was the head coach then, spent more time in media briefings trying to understand what was going on with the discipline of the squad than he did on working out the best moves to try and beat France (in the quarter-finals)...
It’s always a blow when you’ve got your captain and a guaranteed starter, as Steve only picked one number eight.
When you’re putting in plans for a big global event, you want things to be consistent, smooth, out of the public spotlight, and unfortunately it’s none of those things.
While there seems to be no concerns about the players and their behaviour away from the pitch on this occasion, it is fair to say that England's preparation for the tournament in France has been far from ideal.
Couple that with some very poor performances in both the Six Nations and warmup games, and you get the sense it could be a long tournament for Borthwick's men.
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