There is nothing unusual about elite coaches bringing in expertise from other sports but a few eyebrows were raised at England's training base on Wednesday (AEDT) when coach Steve Borthwick said that tennis player Emma Raducanu had been helping out.
Briton Raducanu won the 2021 US Open as an 18-year-old qualifier but has been hampered by injuries and constant coaching changes since and has struggled to get even close to reproducing that success.
"Emma was talking to the players and sharing her experiences about preparing for the elite level of competition, which is terrific," Borthwick said after naming his team for Sunday's (AEDT) clash with New Zealand.
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"People like her are always very welcome because we learn a lot from the players and enjoy learning from others' experience."
Prop Fin Baxter, nine months older than Raducanu but whose cherubic face belies his years and his job at the coalface as a tighthead prop, said it had been an unexpected but fun experience.
"She watched training today and then we did a few bits after," he said.
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"I think she did a bit of kicking with Marcus (Smith). Maro (Itoje) was chatting to her and we were all drifting off, letting two big dogs of their sports talk.
"Then it was, 'Fin, Will (Stuart), come on, Emma wants to do a lineout with you.' So we did the lineout. She was very good, and caught the ball. And then afterwards I was like, 'Hi Emma, I'm Fin by the way.' It was a weird way to meet her for the first time. But it was cool to have her in.
"The amount of pressure she is under because of how successful she is is definitely something we can all learn something from."
Also in camp was Brighton and Hove Albion manager Fabian Huerzeler.
The German became the Premier League's youngest coach when he took over at 31 last year and is burnishing his reputation with every passing week.
"We had Fabian in yesterday and today, it's been really interesting having him at training," Borthwick said.
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"It's just great having elite sports people come and visit us because we learn a lot… and enjoy learning from others' experience."
Borthwick made seven changes from the side that edged Fiji 30-24 last weekend.
Tom Roebuck returns on the wing, George Ford is back at flyhalf, Sam Underhill is in on the flank and there are six British and Irish Lions on the bench.
Roebuck starred in the previous victory over Australia and his aerial ability will be a huge boon for England in attack and defence.
Freddie Steward also missed Fiji with a finger injury but comes in at fullback, with Marcus Smith dropping to the bench, where he will also cover flyhalf with Ford the starting 10 and Fin Smith left out.
With Tommy Freeman out of the series with a hamstring injury, Ollie Lawrence and Fraser Dingwall continue in the centres with midfield cover provided by pacy forward Ben Earl.
Itoje, who had a rare bench appearance last week, returns to captain the team alongside Alex Coles in the second row, with Ollie Chessum out injured.
Tough-tackling Underhill comes in at openside flanker as Earl, man of the match in England's last two games, moves back to No.8.
With the bench having had a huge impact in their last two games, Borthwick has again loaded it in a 6-2 split, including six Lions from the Australia tour.
Stuart, Tom Curry, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Ellis Genge, Chandler Cunningham-South and Henry Pollock are again poised to come on as the so called 'Pom Squad' early in the second half.
"I think we're in a fortunate position to have strength in depth. I am looking forward to that moment when those players do come onto the pitch and I hear the crowd roar," Borthwick said.
"But I'm also excited by the players starting the game – the athletic back row we've got there, players who play the games as physically as Sam Underhill does. Players like Alex Mitchell bring so much speed to the game."
Although the return of Roebuck and Steward gives England more options in the air, Borthwick was keen to remind people that the All Blacks are not averse to putting boot to ball.
"What's been really clear is that New Zealand, where they've played against England in the last three games, have kicked the ball a lot. Every game it's spiked how much they've kicked," he said.
"Look at the way they played in the two Tests we played there last year and how many times they kicked the ball. Once you do that, you'll have a clear picture of how Scott Robertson wants his team to play."
The teams met three times last year, and though the All Blacks won all of them, the total points differential was only 10 and England had late chances to win all three – not least last November when Ford hit a post with a late penalty and skewed a drop goal wide in a 24-22 Twickenham defeat.
With a draw in 2022, it means that England have won only two of the teams' last 21 meetings, the most recent being the 2019 Rugby World Cup semi-final in Japan.
New Zealand, who have beaten Ireland and Scotland in the first two games of their Grand Slam tour, will name their team on Thursday.
– with Sam Worthington
ENGLAND (15-1): Freddie Steward, Tom Roebuck, Ollie Lawrence, Fraser Dingwall, Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, George Ford, Alex Mitchell, Ben Earl, Sam Underhill, Guy Pepper, Alex Coles, Maro Itoje (c), Joe Heyes, Jamie George, Fin Baxter
Reserves: Luke Cowan-Dickie, Ellis Genge, Will Stuart, Chandler Cunningham-South, Tom Curry, Henry Pollock, Ben Spencer, Marcus Smith
