England captain Maro Itoje insists there is 'no mountain we can't climb' as his side prepare to open their autumn series against Australia at Twickenham on Saturday. The lock forward was struck by the pace and intensity of training in September, saying it motivated him to return quickly.
England have won their last seven Tests since losing to Ireland in Dublin in February and face a daunting run of Australia, Fiji, New Zealand and Argentina. Itoje said former teammate Mako Vunipola was also impressed by the speed of training during a recent visit to Bagshot.
Australia, beaten 42-37 by England last year, have improved under Joe Schmidt and will be dangerous opponents. The Wallabies arrive battle-hardened after the Rugby Championship, having beaten South Africa in Johannesburg in August.
England boast a wealth of young talent, including back-rower Guy Pepper, who Itoje describes as having 'a really good mentality'. Other under-24 stars include Tommy Freeman, Henry Pollock and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, with half a dozen potentially set for long international careers.
Itoje also highlighted the strength of England's bench, which includes six British & Irish Lions. He believes the side can maintain a relentless tempo to wear down opponents in the final quarter, a key area of focus after narrow defeats in recent seasons.
