There are 20 months until the World Cup final and Eddie Jones is leaving no stone unturned to make sure England are there.
This week’s training camp with Georgia – who boast one of the world’s fiercest scrums – is not the first time his training methods have raised an eyebrow.
Here, Sportsmail look at his other unusual ideas.
Eddie Jones has brought some unusual ideas to the table during his time as England boss
Scrummaging against the enemy
First Wales, now Georgia. Rather than smash shoulders against team-mates. England have staged full-intensity scrummaging drills with rival nations.
Georgia provide a particularly stern test because their forwards have perfected the art of the scrum through their national love for wrestling.
England packed down against a revered Georgia forward-line to improve scruammaging
Hockey masterclasses
GB Hockey coach Danny Kerry was asked to visit camp after winning gold at the 2016 Olympics in Rio.
After a meeting with Jones, Kerry claimed he was ‘brought in, plugged in, downloaded and then “thank you very much.”.
Jones was taken by Kerry’s 10x4m shed featuring a Subbuteo pitch.
GB Hockey coach Danny Kerry (right) visited camp after winning gold at the 2016 Olympics
Drones
England enlisted the help of Spider Aerial Filming, a company that specialises in aerial shots for high-budget television shows such as Downton Abbey.
The drones can cost around £3,000 each and hover above training to produce footage on running lines and team shape.
Coaches can watch live recordings on a 19-inch LED television monitor at the side of the training pitch.
Drone operators in charge of the machines are pictured at England’s Pennyhill Park base
Visual awareness coaching
Dr Sherylle Calder has spent time at Pennyhill Park improving the players’ peripheral vision.
The EyeGym training is also designed to enhance reaction times and coordination.
Players were previously warned to limit the use of mobile phones because the small screens limit eye movement.
Dr Sherylle Calder has spent time at Pennyhill Park improving the players’ peripheral vision
Bring out the Fairy Liquid
Lineout guru Steve Borthwick has found novel ways of taking the hookers out of their comfort zone.
To mimic the challenges of fatigue, Dylan Hartley and Jamie George practice throw-ins whilst wearing boxing gloves, with the ball covered in slippery fairy liquid… whilst balancing on a wobbly ball.
Steve Borthwick used Fairy Liquid on the hookers’ hands in the lineout to simulate fatigue
Tour de France
Rather than head to the beach, Jones spent last summer following the Tour de France with Australian team Orica-Scott.
England are constantly looking at improving fitness and took lessons from cycling’s endurance.
‘The cyclists ride 240km and then have a 45-minute cycle to their bus,’ said Jones. ‘Cyclists deal with that and staying in two-star hotels: they will put up with anything to get the job done.’
Jones spent last summer following the Tour de France with Australian team Orica-Scott
Odd balls
The half-netball, half-rugby ball is a popular choice in training. Jones like to mix up the types of ball used in training to help improve skills.
The aim is to improve dexterity – with players even training with half-half balls in warm-ups before a big Test.
Dylan Hartley carries the Gilbert Rebounder training ball, designed to improve dexterity
THE REBOUNDER TRAINING BALL
England used Gilbert’s Rebounder Match Weight-Training Ball, designed to allow players to train on their own.
By throwing the round end at a wall or the floor it will bounce and spiral back to you.
The ball is supposed to help perfect spin passing, line-out throwing, scrum-half passing and drop kicks.
England, however, used the ball in full training in order to improve handling. The thought process being if you can catch a small, misshapen ball then it will be easier to grab the real thing.
Football managers
Jones has a long-standing love for football.
He first met Pep Guardiola during his time at Bayern Munich and was impressed by the intensity of the 20-minute sessions which focussed on players finding space.
Jones has since collaborated with Arsene Wenger, Antonio Conte and Gareth Southgate.
Football managers, such as England boss Gareth Southgate, have frequented Jones’ sessions
Consultants
Steve Borthwick, Neal Hatley and Paul Gustard have been the constant figures in Jones’ backroom.
But the Australian likes to keep people on their toes and there has been a revolving door of short-term consultants.
These include Glen Ella, Chris Wyles and, most recently, Marc Dal Maso.
Marc Dal Maso is the latest consultant Jones has brought into the fold at England