Warm Welcome Home - England Rugby

England’s last memories at Twickenham Stadium were not happy ones, in fact they were some of the darkest that the squad will have experienced. However, on Saturday afternoon they managed to banish a few of them in the best way possible way by delivering a hard-fought victory over Ireland. It certainly wasn’t easy however as a squad England showed a pleasing level of composure and took another step forwards in their development as a result. 

As Eddie Jones said after the game there were lessons that the side learned and values that would be gained from the manner in which the eighty minutes unfolded. For all of England’s opening dominance, that included 66% possession and 78% territory, the scoreboard only read 3-3 and nudged to just 6-3 in their favour at half-time. 

In matches gone by England haven’t had the mental fortitude to not let such a great number of missed chances phase them and previously going behind so early in the second-half would have de-railed them. But, this time they found their elusive composure and that bodes well for both the Wales match and beyond. 

So what of the individuals that led England to their 21-10 victory. Well it would be rude of me not to mention Billy Vunipola first, for his performance was monstrous and without doubt it was his best ever in an England jersey. Billy’s engine just went on and on, he carried relentlessly and whenever England needed him he delivered. Eddie Jones, in his own understated manner was quietly content with his Number 8, saying simply that he was 'very good’. Ominously for future opponents he also highlighted the fact that there's still plenty more to come from the back-rower due to the fact that 'he's just a kid learning the game'.

Next the work of Jack Nowell, both in attack and defence, must be praised. ‘That’ try-saving tackle is one of the best that you’ll see and throughout he was rock solid defensively. In attack Jack is proving, week on week, that he is a man that opponents cannot underestimate. In a back line with Mike Brown and Anthony Watson he often isn’t mentioned as much ahead of matches however opponents always know all about him come the end of the eighty minutes. 

Two final notable mentions are required. First, the coolness, composure and assurance of Maro Itoje... it certainly didn’t look like his first senior start did it? Second, the example set by Dylan Hartley; England’s captain was uncompromising and resolute in the front row. He set the tone for his side to follow and managed his captaincy duties with assurance and authority. 

So what of Ireland? If will and desire were to gain points then it would have been a much closer game for they worked tirelessly. However they lacked the personnel, and spark, to penetrate England's defence and having to making 95 tackles in the first forty minutes sapped them of too much energy. Needless to say Joe Schmidt knows that his side are in a transition period and their lack of true depth is being highlighted at this moment in time.

Ireland may be in transition however England still had to win a hard-fought test match and you cannot take away from their performance and mental fortitude shown to do so. Of course we know that it wasn’t all rosy; two yellow cards in the second half cannot be repeated nor can their persistent inability to finish opportunities. However what was pleasing to their head coach was the fact that they showed the attacking structure to create those opportunities and in his words 'the finishing will come'. It would be much worse if we were analysing a performance that housed no try-scoring opportunities whatsoever, then there would be a problem. 

In summary England are in a good position after three matches in this Championship and crucially we've seen progression each time that they've stepped onto the pitch. With three victories under their belt the stage is now set for an almighty clash with Wales in two weeks time. 

Accenture's Match Statistics

Carries
Billy Vunipola (England) 18
Mike Brown (England) 15
Rob Kearney (Ireland) 12
Robbie Henshaw (Ireland) 12
Anthony Watson (England) 11

Metres Made
Robbie Henshaw (Ireland) 101
Billy Vunipola (England) 96
Mike Brown (England) 70
Anthony Watson (England) 68
Rob Kearney (Ireland) 47

Tackles
Josh Van der Flier (Ireland) 17
Maro Itoje (Egland) 15
Donnacha Ryan (Ireland) 15
Jonathan Joseph (England) 14
Chris Robshaw (England) 14

Homecoming - England Rugby

Any professional rugby player will tell you that a defeat hurts until they have the opportunity to put it right. This weekend it is England’s first opportunity to truly banish those Rugby World Cup demons by returning to Twickenham Stadium and winning. 

As much as Eddie Jones always reminds us that under his watch they don’t look back in time however even he cannot deny that a large part of his squad’s motivation this weekend will be to right the wrongs of October 2015. This motivation shouldn’t be detrimental to their preparations instead it should add further emotion and firepower to what is always an intense rivalry. 

Ireland may be ravaged by injuries and Joe Schmidt hasn’t been able to select his desired match-day 23 however from where I'm sitting they don’t exactly look ‘weak’. On form Conor Murray and Jonathan Sexton are lethal, in the front-row Rory Best will relish meeting his old adversary Dylan Hartley and Stuart McCloskey’s entrance is a timely one and something that will give England a huge amount to consider down the central channels. Without question CJ Stander is the form Irishman and the uncapped Josh van der Flier brings huge dynamism, and is a genuine fetcher, in their back-row. Ireland may be depleted however they cannot be underestimated. 

This weekend England's focus has to be on nailing the detail of their own output and really singing in attack. To date we’ve seen glimpses of what the back-line can do however on Saturday afternoon we have to see England use all of their pace and guile. With their kicking game Ireland will undoubtably hand possession over to their opponents and what we need to see is the true benefit of having two decision makers, Ford and Farrell on the park and the back three taking their output up a notch. 

England have to ensure that their set-piece is dominant and that the shaky lineout that we saw in Rome is rectified. Of course Maro Itoje is gaining his maiden cap in the second-row however he has worked with George Kruis countless times before and he's strong enough mentally to deal with the pressure of making his debut at Twickenham. Finally in defence England have been rock solid, the only side not to concede a try in the tournament so far, and with another two weeks of training under their belts you expect more of the same.

(C) Paler Images

As the challenges become greater the importance of this squad’s psychology, as well as their physical output, is increased. From the outside looking in I’d deduce that in recent years England’s squad haven’t been as ‘arrogant’ as people thought that they were. The players haven't had a true swagger about them that let opponents know that they meant business. However, under Eddie Jones I am starting to see the first traces of something along those lines emerging. Egotistical arrogance is not the desired result from Jones’ approach to developing his players' confidence instead his goal is to develop an unrelenting self-belief that fuels both individual and team performance.

Two wins from two is a the ideal position to be in going into this home match and on Saturday afternoon England have to focus on their own game and deliver for the full eighty. Against Ireland there's no room for lapses in concentration and without question a very fast, and dominant, start is required. In all honesty Ireland's tournament form means little ahead of this test match due to the fact that they are so well coached and that they'll be playing with the potent mindset of having 'nothing to lose'. 

It is set to be a clear and dry afternoon and evening at Twickenham Stadium, so Eddie Jones' squad will have the perfect stage to banish those Rugby World Cup demons and crank things up to the level required to dismiss Ireland without a backwards glance. 

Job Done In Rome - England Rugby

There are two ways of looking at England’s 40 - 9 victory over Italy. One is to focus on the opening 50 minutes and pick holes in the side and the other is to take the match as a whole and focus on the manner in which Eddie Jones’ side accelerated away from the Italians. I’ll let you hazard a guess as to which viewpoint I'm about to write from...

Of course there is no getting away from the fact that before Jonathan Joseph’s interception England had a spot of work to do and were being tested by the Italians. Michele Campagnaro was asking the type of questions that we expected him to and certain areas of England’s game just weren’t sharp enough. The lineout misfired and was unrecognisable to the pristine and clean output that we saw last weekend and as a collective they couldn’t truly find their rhythm. However when they did, they delivered Italy with the ‘hiding’ that their head coach had implored them to do so.

Once again we saw an early use of the bench and every member that entered the field contributed in upping the tempo of the match in order to drive the result. In the final moments of the game England were playing at a faster tempo than when they started and that is exactly what they need to be doing. Owen Farrell's final try was the perfect illustration of this and as they continue to develop as a squad I expect that this characteristic, of continuing to up the tempo, will become a trademark. This is due to the depth, and type of talent, that is contained within the squad.

Turning back to the match at hand, Danny Care had a tremendous impact and in my eyes was the catalyst for the victory. Over the past year we've seen Danny push himself back to his very best form, and when he is on the money he's one of Europe's most threatening 9s. In Rome it was his box of tricks and his speed of distribution that allowed the backs to flourish in the final half-an-hour. 

Naturally there were others that turned heads too; Anthony Watson was sharp and keen for work and Jack Nowell was the team's top tackler leading the way in defence with Owen Farrell. Alex Goode and Jamie George made the most of their late opportunities and Jack Clifford and Maro Itoje fitted in seamlessly to the test arena. All of that said, it was the performance of Jonathan Joseph that excited me most. Jonathan is an individual with exceptional talent and after a quiet few months it was great to see him making those trademark outside breaks, confidently owning the 13 jersey and scoring tries for fun. 

Of course it isn’t all about the number of points scored, the fact that Italy were unable to get on the scoresheet, in terms of tries, is another huge positive. In a very short time Paul Gustard has this England squad firing defensively and as he further embeds his principles this area of strength will only improve. 

The fact is that this match went exactly as Eddie Jones thought that it would; Italy were stoic for a period of time but couldn’t sustain it. Jonathan Joseph’s interception was the sucker punch and when it came down to it the home side couldn’t match England’s squad depth. Eddie Jones had asked his team to act and play like the superior side and ultimately they did so.

I’m sure that they’ll be a few of you thinking that I’m taking an overly optimistic viewpoint given England's next opponents. However I'm not analysing whether this performance would have beat Joe Schmidt's Ireland because the tactics and game plan to conquer them will be different. Instead I'm praising the execution of an 80-minute performance that secured a 31-point RBS 6 Nations victory and provided a victorious platform to lead into two productive weeks of training. 

Reigning In Rome - England Rugby

‘Well, Italy is going to be a tough game. They’re going to be emotionally up at the start of the game; they’re going to be pumped. They’ll come hard off the line and there’ll be Italians flying everywhere. We’ve got to hold our nerve, be disciplined and then in the last 20 minutes of the game we’ll get our points.’

That is the short and sweet summary from Eddie Jones as to how he wants Sunday afternoon the pan out. Of course there are many more intricate details that make up his side's game-plan however he isn’t one that likes to discuss them with an audience wider than his squad. 

England’s recent trips to Rome haven’t been as profitable as they should have been and that is a fact that irks their new head coach. Alongside adding layers onto their performance against Scotland Eddie has focused on his squad's mindset. This week he has implored his players to be thinking, acting and ultimately playing like the superior side. For Eddie Jones this is non-negotiable, it is not false arrogance instead it based on fact as he explained;

'I want our players to be confident. I don’t want them to be delusional but I want them to be confident. If you look at our team on paper and the Italian team on paper, we’re a better team and therefore we should put on a better performance.'

(C) Paler Images

‘If you look historically, in 2008, 2010 and 2012 the winning margin was five points or less, that’s underperformance. But, the last time England went to Italy they put some points on them didn’t they? Now that’s all up here [in the head], it’s got nothing to do with anything else, so that’s the thing we’ve got to get right and I’m confident the players have got that right.’

'We’ve got a new captain who’s full of enthusiasm and a bit brash. We’ve got three good young vice-captains that are very assertive, then underneath that we’ve got a great tier of senior players, and guys like Chris Robshaw are doing a terrific job, as is James Haskell, in helping creating a stronger leadership strength in the team.’

This straight-talking approach is what this England squad needs. We’ve already seen the impact that Eddie’s confidence in Billy Vunipola has had and with the calibre of individuals in England’s match-day 23 why shouldn’t they believe that they can smash Italy off the park? If they play to their potential then they should. 

Of course their 80 minutes against Scotland could never be called vintage or beautiful however there was enough in it to build upon. Defensively England were intense and they shut down Vern Cotter’s side from the outset, the scrummage was stronger than we saw at any point during the World Cup and the lineout was secure and provided crisp ball. All of those elements will need to be replicated and added to especially when it comes to the pack’s role as this match will adhere to the phrase ‘forwards win matches and the backs decide by how much’. The work-ons are clear; a reduction of needless breakdown penalties, sharper handling and taking their opportunities when they present themselves.  

Naturally they’ll be a host of individuals that are on ‘Maro watch’ just waiting for the introduction of the man that has excelled for Saracens since the day that he played his first professional match. However I expect Eddie Jones to maintain his resolve that test rugby is not about ‘creating opportunities for younger players, it is about winning’. If, and only if, England are in the right space will he look to use those watching on including young Itoje. 

Italy proved last weekend that they have plenty to be positive about; their pack remain at the heart of their performances. Carlo Canna pleasantly surprised us, Sergio Parisee was his usual talismanic self and Michele Campagnaro will give England a spot to think about. However France weren't the most organised of opponents whereas under Eddie Jones England's clarity of thought and organisation should be one of their key strengths. 

‘We want to make the opposition fear us and we want to be disciplined. That means dominant set piece, strangulating defence and the ability to be ruthless in attack. We want to be absolutely brutal up front so there is no Italian play left standing at the end of the game.’

There’s no shying away from it, Italy may have turned some heads last weekend however Eddie Jones expects his side to go over there and blow them off the park. Let's see what they can do shall we!?

England Rugby: 15 Mike Brown 14 Anthony Watson 13 Jonathan Joseph 12 Owen Farrell 11 Jack Nowell 10 George Ford 9 Ben Youngs 1 Mako Vunipola 2 Dylan Hartley (C) 3 Dan Cole 4 Courtney Lawes 5 George Kruis 6 Chris Robshaw 7 James Haskell 8 Billy Vunipola Replacements: 16 Jamie George 17 Joe Marler 18 Paul Hill 19 Joe Launchbury 20 Maro Itoje 21 Jack Clifford 22 Danny Care 23 Alex Goode 

Italy: 15 Luke McLean 14 Leonardo Sarto 13 Michele Campagnaro 12 Gonzalo Garcia 11 Mattia Bellini 10 Carlo Canna 9 Edoardo Gori 1 Andrea Lovotti 2 Ornel Gega 3 Lorenzo Cittadini 4 George Fabio Biagi 5 Marco Fuser 6 Francesco Minto 7 Alessandro Zanni 8 Sergio Parisse (C) Replacements: 16 Davide Giazzon 17 Matteo Zanusso 18 Martin Castrogiovanni 19 Valerio Bernabo 20 Abraham Steyn 21 Guglielmo Palazzani 22 Edoardo Padovani 23 Andrea Pratichetti

Live Coverage on ITV from 1pm with kick-off at 2pm 

RBS 6 Nations - Round 1

The RBS 6 Nations hits the spot like no other tournament doesn't it!? Now don't get me wrong I love the Rugby World Cup, how could I not, however the intense local rivalry of the 6 Nations just can't be beaten. 

In this year's opening weekend we witnessed Eddie Jones starting his England reign with a victory while Scotland went into their shells. France showed glimpses of joué and promise but then lost their shape completely and Italy's Sergio Parisse could have been the hero of the hour (again) however we all know what happened there. Then finally Wales staged a monumental come back against Ireland and gained the result that nobody really enjoys, a draw. As the dust settles and the preparations start for Round 2 let's take a look back at the players that led the way for their respective sides. 

In the cauldron of noise and emotion that was Murrayfield 23-year-old Billy Vunipola took the Calcutta Cup match by the scruff of its neck and led the way for England Rugby. Vunipola made 22 carries and 51 metres and worked tirelessly for the full eighty minutes. In previous matches England have relied too heavily on Vunipola, and when he has been quiet they've struggled, however on Saturday he shouldered that burden and flourished with the new found confidence that Eddie Jones has instilled in him. 

Notable Mention - George Kruis has matured into an almighty lock before our very eyes. It is fair to say that few outside of Saracens really rated him highly when he came into England's squad however his progression over the last year or so has been remarkable. At Murrayfield he ran England's lineout with precision and duly deserved his try. 

On his International debut CJ Stander introduced himself to top flight rugby with distinction. Those that had paid close attention to this year's Champions Cup will have known his capabilities and at the Aviva he excelled. Stander was filling the very large shoes of Sean O'Brien and did so with ease making the most carries of any man in Round 1, 23, and adding 40 metres and a try to that tally. The man himself was content with his debut however after admitted that he 'would have liked to have made more metres' and that is exactly the type of attitude that Joe Schmidt wants from his squad. 

Notable Mention - This weekend we saw exactly what Johnny Sexton is made of and it has to be said that he is more durable than people give him credit for. On 76 minutes Sexton left the field in agony, he didn't look comfortable at al,l however he'd still managed to nail the 40 metre penalty to draw the match just moments before. 

John Hardie is a man that Scotland will wish that they could clone and have more of in their squad. For 80 minutes at Murrayfield he worked himself into the ground a delivered on all of his key roles. Hardie carried with power, made a nuisance of himself at the breakdown and tackled everything in sight. His fitness levels are superb and he'll be vital for Vern Cotter's side throughout the duration of this tournament. 

Notable Mention - Once again Stuart Hogg was Scotland's standout back. He is a man that makes rugby look easy and always seems to have plenty of time on the ball to make his decisions. 90 metres and 17 carries were the statistical outcome of his hard work and I'm sure that he'll be having a quiet word with Finn Russell about looking left and right when his colleague next makes an interception!!

Across all of the 6 sides this was the toughest call to make as three players provided a rock solid back bone to Wales' performance; Jamie Roberts, Taulupe Faletau and Alun Wyn Jones. Trying to choose between them is like asking a parent to choose their favourite child, it takes a while and eventually they'll give you a jokey answer! I'll avoid the jokes and instead bite the bullet and highlight Alun Wyn Jones' performance. The others may have made more tackles and carries however Alun Wyn Jones gets the nod due to his immense leadership, physical intensity and unrelenting desire to win. He is a leader in every sense of the word and you can see why he's the favourite to be the Lions captain in 2017. 

Notable Mentions - Now is the chance to talk Jamie Roberts and Taulupe Faletau as wells adding in Rhys Priestland. Both Jamie Roberts and Taulupe Faletau recorded 21 tackles each and spent the afternoon causing Ireland all manner of issues. After entering the game much earlier than he would have been expecting to Rhys Priestland silenced many of his critics by delivering an extremely polished performance in the fly-half jersey and should Dan Biggar lose his fitness race Warren Gatland should have every confidence in the Bath man.

When Guy Noves announced that sevens star Virimi Vakatawa was going to be part his squad many people thought it was yet another 'interesting' move from the French camp.  However on Saturday afternoon we all saw exactly what Vakatawa will bring to the party and as far as debuts go it was as dynamic and exciting as you'd want it to be. Vakatawa may not have played XV aside rugby since December 2003 but that didn't worry him in the slightest and the worrying thing for his opponents is that he'll only improve as the tournament progresses.

Notable Mention - 0 from 3 isn't how you wish to start your RBS 6 Nations place kicking statistics however for France that was the reality. Sebastien Bezy didn't have a good at the office and when Jules Plisson took over we wondered if it would continue in the same manner. Thankfully it didn't and when it truly mattered Plisson held his nerve to nail what turned out to be the match-winning penalty. 

Few will be able to forget Sergio Parisse's final drop-goal attempt however when he is used to having to do absolutely everything for Italy then you cannot blame him for thinking that he needed to shoulder the responsibility of that too. The miss aside Sergio had another outstanding performance; he made 21 carries and 94 metres, eclipsing any other man on the field across both statistics. Sergio was making his 115th International cap and if anyone deserved their drop-goal to go over then it was him.

Notable Mention - Since the great Diego Dominguez retired from test rugby Italy have been searching for their next fly-half. Over the years more individuals have been thrust into the role than England have had centre partnerships and this time around it is Carlo Canna's turn. A couple of wayward goal kicks aside Canna looked comfortable in the jersey and navigated his side around the field well. With Tomosso Allan returning to fitness Jacques Brunel may now have the luxury of choosing between too fairly competent tens and that should mean Italy can apply themselves better to that task at hand, avoiding the wooden spoon! 

Key Round 1 Statistics

• Italy made the most metres of all in the opening weekend with 426, Sergio Parisse delivered 94 of those on his own!
• Ireland, Wales and Scotland were the only three sides to have 100% success rate on their scrummages
• England delivered the highest lineout success percentage with 93% - 14 won on their ow throw and just one lost
• France beat the most defenders of all this weekend with 17 and made more offloads that any other side with 22

Calcutta Cup - England Rugby

The Calcutta Cup has been a part of rugby history since 1882 and in recent years the fixture has been largely dominated by England. However leading into this year's meeting the feeling was that it was going to be tighter, and closer, than ever before. 

Scotland's World Cup was extremely productive and, by in large, positive whereas England's was testing, taxing and at times torturous. The view in Scotland, and many other places, was that this would be the year that the Scots finally re-gained the Calcutta Cup and in doing so make the start of Eddie Jones' reign a challenging one.

Scotland were fielding a settled and dynamic back line, they had the advantage of two sevens in their starting XV and props that were ready, and capable, of disrupting. However instead of taking opportunities when they arose old demons haunted them and chances were missed; the most obvious being Finn Russell's squandering of his second-half interception. If Russell had looked left instead of putting boot to ball we may have been contemplating and analysing a totally different result, however Stuart Hogg never entered his vision and the golden moment passed. 

Of course Scotland's inability to take the match wasn't all down to their own doing, England must be credited greatly with taking the match by the scruff of its neck and making it their own. Scotland will have wished that John Lacey hadn't blown his half-time whistle, for they were in the ascendancy at that point. However it was perfectly timed for England as they re-grouped and after the break re-gained their hold on the game. 

This week Eddie Jones ardently defended the 23 that he had selected when some called it 'boring' and 'expected' and he was right to do so. England were never going to win this fixture with a whole host of new personnel instead it needed guys that had been there and done it before. Test rugby is about riding out the ebbs and flows and keeping a cool head while doing so; England's players did this and then their head coach used his substitutions wisely. Jones was clear that this match was never about 'giving guys opportunities', it was about winning test rugby and we saw him use his bench early and for the right reasons. The new entrants provided fresh legs to spark and to lift key areas of the game as opposed to stock changes on 60 minutes and that was refreshing to see.  

Pleasingly, for Eddie Jones and for all of  us observing, England's pack proved their point well as they set the platform required both at the scrummage and lineout. WP Nel and Al Dickinson weren't allowed to have the impact they would have wanted and instead the trio of Joe Marler, Dylan Hartley and Dan Cole fronted up. Jones had heaped a whole world of pressure on Dan Cole, who knew it, and shone while Dylan Hartley cemented his opening performance as captain by nailing what he described as at the 'non-negotiables' at the set piece and conducting himself in a manner that will have silenced a fair few doubters. 

Off the back of this platform the execution in attack wasn't always pristine however I believe that the Ford and Farrell dynamic at the heart did, and will, work well. Clearly the advantage of both on the pitch is that it makes opponents think, provides the side with more options and I believe helps both players to have the other there. Jack Nowell's try was well taken and vital; Mako Vunipola's hands in the build up were part of a superb display from Vunipola senior while Vunipola junior was head and shoulders above the rest. Billy was as rampaging and destructive as a world-class Number 8 should be and his personal influence on the match cannot be underestimated. 

Finally a word for England's defence which was rock solid. Paul Gustard should be been pleased with what he saw out there, for like the rest of the performance, it provides the basis on which he can layer his detail. England's line speed was crisp, sharp and fast and they defended with the type of physical and emotional intensity that their defence coach would have asked of them. 

For Eddie Jones' England, this year's Calcutta Cup was all about the result and actually the fact that the performance was a largely pleasing will be an added bonus to the squad and to their new head coach. The World Cup was a sobering affair that knocked players' confidence, even if they'll tell you publicly that it didn't, and I for one am not underestimating the importance of this victory for morale as much as anything else. 

The opening game between Italy and France highlighted that the Italians won't be the walk over that we all thought that they might be however England have set out their stall in exactly the right fashion. Was it vintage? No. Was it perfect? No. However it was a victory and a first hit out that contained plenty that Eddie Jones will be quietly content with. 

Decoding The Dark Arts - England Rugby

One of the gospel truths in rugby is how vital it is to have a solid scrummage in order to lay the foundations of a side’s performance. The intricacies of the dark arts aren’t easily deciphered however one individual that assists greatly in explaining this mysterious area is David Flatman. 

Flats is one of the few people that has the ability to decode what’s going on in front of him and explain it to the rest of us simply and clearly. Scrummages seem much less daunting when you are sat next to Flats or when you are hearing him speak as part of the BT Sport commentary team. 

This week we have all turned our focus towards the forthcoming RBS 6 Nations tournament and throughout the coming 6 weeks England's pack and scrummage will come under intense scrutiny. In the Rugby World Cup we saw a previous dominance in this area being eroded. I remember running an eye over the statistics mid-way through the tournament and saw that, on their own put in, Romania had a greater scrummage success percentage than England. 

At Accenture’s recent data launch I took the opportunity to pick Flats' brains on England’s scrummage and delved further into some of the detail; 

“The main thing that didn’t work during the World Cup was the relationship between Joe Marler and Tom Youngs. Both are very, very good players but they allowed tighthead props too much progress through that area and once you get a 19/20/21 stone guy moving forward with a 19 stone lock behind him it is hard to stop.”

The natural question after that statement of course was what should the relationship be between the men wearing the 1 and 2 jerseys? 

One of the many Twitter graphics
during RWC2015

“You can make it as complicated as you want but if you look aerially, as we did during the World Cup when Joe Marler copped all of that criticism, it definitely wasn’t all Joe’s fault and it definitely wasn’t all Tom’s fault. There is also a lot to do with the back-rows and second-rows as everyone plays a part in it. But, when their hips come apart, you’re in trouble because you want their hips to be as close together as possible.”

“So just imagine that you are the second-row behind them... you’ve got a shoulder on Tom Youngs’ backside and one on Joe Marler’s and you lose one of them. Suddenly your power is halved and there is a gap there, which you often come through. On top of that you are then leaving a gap for opposing tighthead props, so you just want to keep the hips tight and that just didn’t quite work when it came under a lot of pressure.”

Obviously Tom Youngs’ omission from Eddie Jones’ opening EPS squad was the call that surprised the country the most. Tom has been in great form for the Leicester Tigers, leading them from the front and spent the Rugby World Cup as England’s first choice. In Flats’ mind he believed Youngs was ‘un-droppable’ but added quickly ‘clearly I was wrong’. 

“Everyone is talking about the fact that they’ve chosen Dylan Hartley over Tom Youngs, and they have in a sense because he is captain, but actually for me there are 3 hookers in that squad so actually they’ve chosen Luke Cowan-Dickie and Jamie George over Tom Youngs.”

“In terms of carrying and tackling I don’t think that there is a better hooker in the world than Tom Youngs, he’s that good. Guilhem Guirado, perhaps, but Tom Youngs is a freak the way that he tackles and carries… he is a machine. Therefore the rationale behind it has to be his throwing and scrummaging…”

Obviously this opening weekend will not feature Leicester’s hooker, and indeed the whole of this opening RBS 6 Nations tournament may not, however that will have no bearing on the level of scrutiny that England’s pack will come under. Eddie Jones has been very clear that he wants his England side to return to their roots which includes having a ‘highly dominant set piece’ and on Saturday afternoon the work of Joe Marler, Dylan Hartley and Dan Cole in particular will be under the microscope. Will they cope with the pressure of a Scottish pack that are no longer slouches? Will they match Scotland's key men for power and ensure that they prevail when it comes to the dark arts?  Only time will tell…

David Flatman is part of the Accenture Analysis Team during the RBS 6 Nations, providing fans with insight and analysis to #Seebeyond standard match data. Follow @AccentureRugby or visit accenture-rugby.com. Download the Official RBS 6 Nations app.

England Rugby - The Waiting Is Almost Over

Professional sportsmen and women will always tell you that after they’ve suffered a devastating loss the only thing that they want to do is to go back straight onto the field and right the wrongs. That desire remains just as strong regardless of level of sport being played and without question it intensifies as the stakes, and stages, get larger. 

England’s squad have had since the 3rd October last year to contemplate how and why their World Cup crumbled. Of course there was the game against Uruguay to start to reverse some ill feelings however being brutally honest that match was a mere formality. It was played against lesser opposition and in reality will have done little to diminish the hurt felt by the squad. On Saturday, 126 days later, Vern Cotter’s Scotland will provide the first true opportunity for England's squad to get back on the horse and show the world that they should be taken more seriously than their group stage exit implies. 

The introduction of Eddie Jones presents a new dawn and a fresh start for England Rugby as he arrives with an entirely new demeanour and approach. However make no bones about it Eddie Jones’ job has been made much easier by the foundations that Stuart Lancaster and his team put in place as Ben Kay highlights;

“It wasn’t perfect at the World Cup, obviously, but it wasn’t quite as bad as everyone thought. I keep saying that Eddie Jones is almost like that marketing/brand guy that takes over as CEO of a company in which the foundations are actually quite good and then let’s everyone know how good his company is, both internally and externally. Clive Woodward was the same, he’d repeatedly make statements to the players, was it all true? Probably not, but you ended up believing it anyway.”

It is an interesting parallel that Ben draws between Eddie Jones and Sir Clive Woodward. Of course they most famously met each other at 'that' 2003 final and since Eddie’s appointment Sir Clive has been open about his wholehearted support for the Australian. At this moment Eddie Jones is taking a group of high quality England players by the scruff of the neck and instilling in them a renewed fire, belief and sense of power. The way in which he manages the media lets his side know that he has their backs and then when you couple this with one of the most well travelled and knowledgeable rugby brains out there you realise that England are in very safe hands. 

Of course this match on Saturday afternoon isn’t all about England, there’s the small matter of their opponents Scotland. If you read the record books then Vern Cotter’s side don’t stand a chance; Scotland have won just one of their last 12 RBS 6 Nations matches, they haven’t won at Murrayfield in the tournament since 2013 and have won just once before in Round 1. That said if ever there was a time to ignore the records then it is now for Scotland enjoyed a highly productive Rugby World Cup and should be more confident than ever before.

Vern Cotter's side now have a back line that can score points and a pack that won’t be pushed about. The fitness of Mark Bennett is a huge boost; the manner in which he attacked the Rugby World Cup and was duly nominated for World Breakthrough Player of the Year highlights exactly the type of threat that he is. Bennett is part of the most positive back line that Scotland have had in years including Finn Russell, Stuart Hogg and more and although they aren't saying it outwardly they'll wholeheartedly believe that this is their year. 

(C) Paler Images

Eddie Jones’ initial squad made pulses race and then some people felt slightly deflated when they saw the individuals that he immediately sent back to the Premiership clubs. However as David Flatman said to me earlier in the week ‘picking proven guys for a very, very hard first match is absolutely forgivable’ and he is right. The XV that are likely to start at Murrayfield have plenty of International rugby under their belts however we expect that there will be differences to the XVs that faced Australia and Wales. On Saturday we are likely to see another new starting centre partnership with Owen Farrell and Jonathan Joseph, a new half-back axis with Danny Care and George Ford and new Robshaw, Haskell and Vunipola shaped back row. All three areas will be vital to the success of the side alongside re-finding a scrummage that can dominate a Scottish pack that now mean business. As has been the case for years the spotlight will largely be on the centres, just how effective will it be having both Ford and Farrell on the field? Will Owen Farrell transfer his barn-storming form directly into the 12 jersey and will the 10/12/13 axis fly as it has the potential to?

Traditionally this fixture at Murrayfield doesn’t contain a lot of rugby; tries are normally found at premium and instead the term 'arm-wrestle' has been befitting of the occasions. However the optimist in me hopes that Saturday will buck those trends,  both sides have personnel within their ranks to deliver pacy, positive rugby and both have plenty to prove. Of course when it comes down to it Eddie Jones will take a victory in whichever manner it arises however wouldn’t it be great to see England go out there, exorcise a few of the demons left from the Rugby World Cup and play in the manner in which we all know that they can...

England will make their team announcement at 10am on Thursday 4th February and the match will be televised on BBC 1 with kick-off at 4.50pm on Saturday afternoon (6th). 

Ben Kay and David Flatman are part of the Accenture Analysis Team during the RBS 6 Nations, providing fans with insight and analysis to #Seebeyond standard match data. Follow @AccentureRugby or visit accenture-rugby.com. Download the Official RBS 6 Nations app.

Second Forty Flourishes - Aviva Premiership Round 10

In Round 10 of the Aviva Premiership we witnessed some sides flourishing without their key Internationals and others found life altogether more challenging. It was a round in which we witnessed matches turn on their heads in the second-halves and was further proof that  season isn't going to be a predictable one!

(C) BT Sport Rugby

For forty minutes on Friday Night Wasps seamlessly transferred their immense European form into the domestic competition and blew Northampton away. Dai Young’s men made rugby look like the simplest game in the world as they scored three delightful opening-half tries. Rob Miller was instrumental in their attack and filled the very large shoes of Charles Piutau with ease and it was great to see Nathan Hughes back bulldozing holes all over the park. In the second forty the Saints did pull their socks up and surprisingly Wasps couldn't find the bonus-point score however the result was never in doubt. Jim Mallinder didn’t hold back with his assessment of the evening calling his side's performance ‘terrible’ and ‘unacceptable’ while Dai Young had a smile on his face and made light of their inability to press on. Wasps' captain George Smith was world-class and under his leadership we saw the depth housed in Wasps' squad as their DOR declined to re-introduce those left out of International plans.

(C) @rbsquarebanana 

On Saturday afternoon Kingsholm was at full capacity for the visit of the Leicester Tigers however the Cherry and White fans were left brokenhearted courtesy of the power of Logovi’i Mulipola and the cool head of Tommy Bell. Gloucester Rugby had entertained a healthy 15-7 lead at the break as they delivered the type of half that their coaches had been looking for however couldn’t continue their rich vein of form for the full eighty. Ultimately, like other matches this weekend, the forty minutes after the break decided the outcome and after Leicester had absorbed huge amount of pressure they flicked their switch to deliver their own sublime length-of-the-field score. It has to be said that Ben Morgan’s yellow was one of the softest I've seen in a while and clearly the one-man advantage helped the visitors overall Leicester did have more in their attacking tank than their hosts. Leicester's route to victory impressed me as they stuck to their guns with their new all court game in a way that would have been inconceivable last year. 

(C) @C_C_photos

At the AJ Bell Stadium the Sale Sharks added to their unbeaten  home record with a bonus-point victory over London Irish. Although the opening-half was slightly challenging for both sides given the conditions Steve Diamond's side had the confidence and skill to push away from their visitors after the break. Sam James had another outstanding afternoon and the feet of Nev Edwards continue to devastate opponents; Nev has now notched up 6 tries in 4 matches and Sale's positive attacking game was matched by their forwards' work rate and strength in the closer quarters. While Sale comfortably accelerated after the break the Exiles weren't able to do the same and it now puts them in a sticky situation due to Falcons' victory. Tom Coventry has a spot of thinking to do and he must contemplate the coming matches knowing that he won't have the services of his Alex Lewington in the short-term or World Cup winner Ben Franks in the slightly longer-term, two key losses. 

At Allianz Park Saracens put in a gutsy second-half performance to push passed a determined Bath Rugby side. Heading into the game the expectation was that it could be a challenging day at the office for the visitors however they attacked the opening-half with the type of vigour and purpose that Mike Ford has been looking for. Bath Rugby won the collisions and comfortably dominated on the scoreboard by 13-0 at the break. However  instead of pressing on Bath were pinged too many times by referee Dean Richards and their lack of true confidence proved to be their achilles heel. The momentum swung quietly at first and then accelerated in the favour of the home side; 21-year-old Maro Itoje was everywhere, Schalk Brits’ finish for the try was typical of the athletic hooker and Charlie Hodgson’s steady boot did the rest. After the match Mark McCall described it as the ‘most satisfying win of the season’ while the visitors were left to contemplate the 'small margins' that Mike Ford described had contributed to the result.

On Sunday afternoon the Exeter Chiefs were made to work hard for their victory over the Worcester Warriors but showed exactly the type of metal that Rob Baxter has been asking from his side. The opening half was a tense affair, and in spite of the Chiefs' tries being scored with relative ease, Dean Ryan's Warriors were determined to keep their opponents in check. So far this season Tom Heathcoates' place kicking has been hit and miss however he showed great accuracy to ensure that at half-time it was 12-12. It was the ability of the Chiefs to take things to a higher level took the match away from the Warriors. Indeed Dean Ryan sighted their opponents' 'speed of thought and decision making' but rightly so he was pleased with his team's day at the office. The Chiefs' victory moves them within 2 points of the side that they'll be facing next weekend, league leaders Saracens, and what a game that will be! 

(C) @chrislishman1

The final match of the weekend was at Kingston Park where the Newcastle Falcons hosted Harlequins. Surprisingly to many Conor O'Shea's Harlequins were unable to deliver the victory against the Newcastle Falcons instead they let a 19-10 lead slip and suffered due to the Rob Vickerman's try and the evergreen boot of Andy Goode. Goode came off the bench with 20 minutes to go and within 10 minutes had nailed three penalties, two from just inside Quins' half and ended up delivering 11 of Newcastle's final 16 points. Of course matches aren't always about one person however this is exactly why Dean Richards persuaded Andy out of retirement and if he continues in this manner Falcons will feel confident to avoid the drop. For Harlequins it wasn't the performance that they wanted, far from it, although there are extenuating circumstances with key men missing away on International duty and a key injury to Karl Dickson. That said, Conor O'Shea will have had a few words with his squad early this week in order to pick them up and get them ready to face the Northampton Saints at home on Saturday afternoon.