Because of the World Cup rules, the hosts could end up playing the tournament's opening match against Fiji on Sept.18 in an unfamiliar change strip which is likely to be all-red.
England could also find themselves having to give up to their Fijian opponents the 'home' dressing room that they always use at Twickenham.
This is because, although Stuart Lancaster's men may be the hosts, each individual fixture has a 'home' team determined by a random draw. That team is given both the first choice of both kit and changing room.
So, should the draw go in favour of Fiji and they choose to play in their own famous white kit and take over England's normal dressing room, England will have no choice but to don a change strip.
This may not play too well with the England faithful who have not been exactly enamoured of previous 'away' strips, such as the 2009 purple and the 2010 "anthracite", whenever they have been on view at Twickenham.
Their World Cup kit has yet to be launched but it is fancied that England will go for red, the current colour of their alternate strip.
At least, kicking off a World Cup in unfamiliar garb is nothing new for England. Four years ago, amid a few tuts from fans of the home nation New Zealand, they began with an all-black outfit against Argentina.
They won that match with an impressive performance but their campaign went downhill from there on and off the pitch and, like the black kit, is best forgotten.
(Writing by Ian Chadband; editing by Justin Palmer)
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