Rugby union: It is time for England men to shine at Twickenham says Itoje

Argentina opened the campaign last weekend with only their second ever victory at Twickenham, a deserved 30-29 win exposing the hosts’ familiar shortcomings in attack and discipline.

Even allowing for their elevation to rugby’s top table, Japan should provide the weakest opposition of the month with Tests against New Zealand and South Africa completing the schedule.

With their backs to the walls, England are in familiar territory and Itoje insists it is time to show what they are made of using national pride as fuel.

“We need to break free and just go out there and be the players that we know we are,” said the Saracens forward, who will continue in the back row following his switch from lock.

“The England response I’m expecting to see is a team full of energy, a team that’s physical, tough and ready to take the game, not waiting to see what happens.

“We don’t want to take a backward step, we want to go out there and take the game by the scruff of the neck.

“You never want to lose a game to have this type of response, but when you are in this position you have to go out there and show yourselves – more importantly, let alone anyone else – what the team is really about.

“Show each other what playing for England means to us and show each other how important this is in our lives. We definitely need to go out there and have that aggressive mindset to do the job.”