Under Eddie Jones the defending champions have run away with a tournament that was expected to be the most competitive for yearsIt is easy to forget this was supposed to be the most open Six Nations in years. England, by retaining their title with a week to spare, have already cantered up the hill like a runaway Cheltenham Gold Cup favourite, leaving several notable records in their wake. Another grandstand finish in Dublin and they can enter the special enclosure reserved for the most elite of champions.This was hardly Scottish rugby’s proudest weekend but, by anyone’s standards, the ruthlessness with which England carved up their stricken old rivals to equal their highest Calcutta Cup winning margin was impressive. Challenged to...
Dropped against Italy, the centre returned to deliver stiletto blows to Scotland and earn a standing ovation in England’s Six Nations title triumphThree minutes past the last, England were still playing. They had nothing to gain now, except seven points on top of the 54 they had already scored. But they still had something to prove, to Eddie Jones, who rode them hard in the previous week, and to everyone who watched them against Italy, Wales, and France and wondered whether they were good enough to win this Six Nations, or worthy rivals to the world’s No1 side, New Zealand, whose record of 18 consecutive victories they have now equalled.So they kept running at the Scots, moving the ball back...
Speculation had it that England were nervous going into the Calcutta Cup, but Scotland instead met with a clinical brutality they could not handleSo, some way still to go. Scotland came south, heralded, rightly, as the best side to do so this century. They return nursing the concession of 61 points, more than Scotland have suffered in this fixture in any century. They summoned the spirit to score 21 of their own and played to the bitter end despite the fearsome pounding they had suffered for 80 minutes, which had bent their back line, in particular, into a hideous contortion, greater toll suffered on the injury front than even in Paris a couple of rounds earlier. Related: England and Jonathan...
Despite closing in on a world record for consecutive wins England have been unconvincing of late and the visitors will pose some awkward questionsThere appear to be two Englands out there, both coached by the same man. The first lot are unbeaten in 17 Tests, still have improvement in them and possess the most influential bench in world rugby. The second mob are in average form, have injury problems and are starting to be seen as potentially vulnerable. Increasingly, it feels like Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde are playing in front of the West Stand debenture seats.If it seems slightly perverse to imagine such a successful side wrestling with a split personality, consider the Six Nations to date. France looked...
England’s replacements may prove key, while Wales are grappling with problems of their own making as Italy scent an upsetRob Howley increasingly cuts the figure of a man damned if he does and in a similar predicament if he does not. His team selection – Wales are unchanged from their defeat in Scotland – has been widely criticised but he does not have a huge amount of options at his disposal. That, however, is the crux of the problem. Wales are fearful of finishing the tournament with two defeats that could well mean they slip out of the top eight in the world and face another treacherous World Cup pool. Hence Howley’s refusal to experiment against Ireland. That then raises...