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Farrell’s England defy rancour and rain in Scotland to blow doubts away | Andy Bull

A vicious wind and a howling reception greeted Murrayfield’s visitors but they will feel stronger for coming through bothThe forecast was that bad that on the trains north on Saturday morning they were warning passengers to abandon any plans to travel back that way on Sunday. By the time the service reached Peterborough they were promising free passage back to London for anyone who wanted to turn tail already. A couple of England fans on a corporate freebie sitting near me made it as far as York before they gave up. Even the England team rearranged their schedule so they could fly out later Saturday night, as soon as they had done what they had to do. It was one...

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Gregor Townsend left to lament Scotland’s inability to convert chances | Gerard Meagher

Classic Scottish weather should have given the home side an edge but they showed a distinct inability to make their chances count allowing England to snatch victory late onIt was 28 degrees in Cape Town on Saturday just as Stuart Hogg kicked proceedings off with the rain all but horizontal. The possibility of South Africa joining the Six Nations is an idea that clearly polarises opinion but it can be said with certainty that it presents an altogether different proposition to this.“Classic Scottish weather,” said Hogg on the eve of the match. “We’ll have a few tricks up our sleeve,” he continued. For the second week running, he and his coach, Gregor Townsend, will lament an inability to make one...

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Absence of power athletes means England must get creative at Murrayfield | Ugo Monye

Eddie Jones does not have the players to simply blast through Scotland, so guile and speed will have to be to the foreEngland arrive at Murrayfield a wounded animal. There will be some bruised bodies from last weekend and no doubt some emotional scars having failed to do what they set out to do in their previous two matches. Add in the number of changes made by Eddie Jones, plus the six-day turnaround, and England’s challenge becomes all the more difficult.We have plenty of soundbites about the passion and the mutual hatred with these sides. We have heard how Eddie wants to unleash his very own “Bomb Squad” on Scotland and take them on up front but I desperately hope...

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Six Nations: talking points from the opening weekend’s action

Eddie Jones made a selection mistake, Ireland count the cost of their bruising win and Wales start the post-Gatland era brightlyHowever Eddie Jones hoped England’s back row was going to go, it didn’t. The decision to pick Tom Curry out of position to cover for Billy Vunipola cost them twice over, because it meant they didn’t get the best out of their star flanker and also lacked a real ball-carrying threat at No 8. He has options, since Ben Earl and Lewis Ludlam are both in the squad and can cover the position, but given that he could have had one of Alex Dombrandt, Sam Simmonds, or Nathan Hughes playing there instead it might be time to admit he got...

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The Breakdown | Six Nations 2020: team-by-team guide

England may be the pre-tournament favourites, but France in Paris is a tricky first hurdle for Eddie Jones’s sideEngland’s World Cup seemed to be judged on the no-show in the final against South Africa, the manner in which they overwhelmed Australia and New Zealand in the previous rounds largely forgotten. They had one of the youngest teams in the tournament with Eddie Jones changing direction a year out from Japan and jettisoning some of his more seasoned players. The result was that they played with greater pace, if not invention, and at last had a complementary back row. Related: Andy Farrell at home with Ireland and prepares to lean on career mentors Related: Gregor Townsend says ‘door is open’ for...

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