Aviva Premiership Round 19 Preview

Can you believe that another week has flown by and that Round 19 is almost upon us? Already the thoughts are creeping in about the dreaded off-season but I'm swiftly pushing them aside and instead focusing on what should be a huge round of Aviva Premiership action. 

For many of our Premiership sides this weekend is a make or break weekend in terms of their seasons. From the top to the bottom of the table Round 19's matches are of great significance whether that’s to cement a positive position, push for the playoffs or Europe or avoid the R word... in short Round 19 is a big one! 

The action will commence at The Recreation Ground where Bath Rugby will host league leaders Saracens. Overall Bath’s 2015/16 form has disappointed us all but in recent weeks they’ve started to find their groove again. This was shown with their gutsy victory over Newcastle and last weekend's Derby day triumph at Kingsholm but they need to add another 20% (at least) on top of that to face Saracens. Mark McCall’s side looked like dynamite last weekend, their sharpness in attack was coupled with their usual physicality and it was mesmerising to watch. For the home side Dave Attwood returns from injury and his presence will be essential to try and quell the impact of Kruis and Itoje and Amanaki Mafi will add plenty of spark in the 8 jersey. For Saracens Chris Ashton is back following the farcical ban that was imposed on him and the rest of the side is settled and in form. Of course they’ll be plenty of eyes on the two tens, from the stands, from those watching at home and I’m sure from Eddie Jones too! There’s no question about it, Bath will have to play to their full potential on home soil because if they don’t Saracens are in a ruthless mood right now!

London Irish know that it is getting closer to crunch time and that in order to give themselves a true fighting chance at survival they need a victory against the Sale Sharks. At home Sale have been impressive, their victory over Leicester Tigers showed that however on the road they've been shaky. The Sharks haven't won at the Madejski Stadium since October 2006 and have won only once on away from home since February 2015. Personally I have no idea why their away form is so bad, only the players and coaches can answer that, and Irish will be boosted by this record. That said Sale’s output in Round 18 was of a much higher standard than the Exiles and if the Sharks focus on their performance then result should take care of itself. Looking at the Exiles they have to have learned their lessons from Round 18, their basics must be sharper and they simply have to take their kicks at goal. On paper Sale should turnaround their difficult away form but emotion and the knowledge that a victory will take a step towards survival could spur the home side to deliver a performance greater than what we've seen to date.

At Welford Road the Leicester Tigers are hosting Gloucester Rugby. For Richard Cockerill’s side making the playoffs is an non-negotiable however their Round 18 defeat to Sale caused a slight speed bump in proceedings. This week I spent some time with the Tigers and there was a steely focus around the training ground to deliver a result and with the power in their ranks they should overpower Gloucester in order to do so. Over the last few weeks Gloucester Rugby have lost their way slightly, their form hasn’t been helped by multiple injuries but even so they’ll be disappointed. This weekend the visitors will need to get their fundamentals on point and go all out in the intense environment of Welford Road. Charlie Sharples' injury isn't ideal and out wide they are a little light on the ground but they have to park that and deliver a performance filled with character and ambition. 

At Sandy Park Rob Baxter’s Exeter Chiefs are looking to bounce back after a difficult weekend against Saracens. In Round 19 the Chiefs never truly got into the game and this weekend they have to ensure that they take command from the word go against the Worcester Warriors. The home side will be boosted by the return of Jack Nowell and I expect him to deliver his usual spark in attack and solidity in defence. On home soil Gareth Steenson and his half-back partner, Dave Lewis or Will Chudley whichever is selected, need to manage their kicking game better than they did at Saracens. At the heart of Worcester’s output has been solid leadership from Chris Pennell, Donncha O'Callaghan and GJ van Velze and I expect nothing less at Sandy Park. With Cooper Vuna and Bryce Heem out wide the Warriors will have plenty to hit back with and if the conditions are favourable then we should expect to see plenty of rugby played.

In South West London Harlequins will be hosting Dean Richards' Newcastle Falcons and need to ensure that they take last weekend's defeat on the chin and create a winning platform going into their European quarter-final. Newcastle Falcons' output hasn't been as bad as their results have suggested, having lost their last 5 matches in a row, but in this competition points mean prizes and they need some. The calibre of individual on Harlequins’ team sheet should outclass the Falcons, if the home side’s players deliver to their full potential. Harlequins’ International contingent know what it is like to play at the highest level and must treat Saturday as such. Newcastle will focus on keeping their concentration on point, for dips will cost them, and really need to throw everything that they have and more at Harlequins. 

The final game of the weekend will be played at the Ricoh Arena where Wasps will host Northampton Saints. Wasps have gained maximum points from each of their last 3 matches and look in a determined mood. Jim Mallinder’s Northampton Saints are picking up steam after a fairly dismal opening to the season and their output has put them in a prime position with four rounds to go. I’m expecting James Haskell to be back in club colours and seeing Joe Simpson’s injury progress on social media he might be on the bench which would be sensational for the home side. Northampton need to use the emotions of their Round 18 victory to fuel a big performance, with this match and then their European Champions Cup quarter-final against Saracens on the horizon it is the time to step up their output again. At the Ricoh I’m looking forward a huge contest at the scrummage, physicality galore and plenty of wheels out the back... it should be a cracker!! 

Aviva Premiership Round 18 Review

With the return of most of the competition's International players the stage was set for a great Easter weekend of Premiership Rugby and that is exactly what was delivered. Across the country our Premiership sides again had to contend with the ‘Great’ British weather and they did so admirably and didn't let the inclement conditions detract from their work.

As a result of the weekend’s matches we’ve witnessed slight movements in the Premiership table with Saracens reinstating themselves at the top spot, Northampton Saints moving back into the Top 4 and Sale and Gloucester swapping places in mid-table. There’s so much to analyse and get stuck into at this time of the season so expect lots of articles en route during the domestic run-in. 

(C) Paler Images

The action started at Allianz Park where Saracens sent out a huge statement of intent by the clinical manner in which they pushed aside Rob Baxter’s Exeter Chiefs. Saracens were ruthless in their pursuit of victory and their handling was as slick as I’ve seen it all year. This flawless handling was complimented by first-class attacking support lines and then brutal physicality across the park. Conversely Exeter couldn’t really find a true foothold in the game and as a collective were overpowered. Schalk Brits and Billy Vunipola both performed handsomely but it was the all around game and output of Owen Farrell that made so many people stop and take note. All in all it was a timely reminder of how brutally efficient Saracens can be, and a showcase of just they can do with ball in hand as well! 

At Kingsholm Bath Rugby snatched back the bragging rights from their West Country Rivals with a gutsy and determined performance. Mike Ford’s men were also boosted by their England returnees but it was the work of a man that hasn't been part of Eddie Jones' plans to date, Semesa Rokoduguni, that sealed the victory. Bath outscored their hosts by 3 tries to 0 with Rokoduguni delivering two and crucially weathered a period of sustained Gloucester pressure before they took the game in the final minutes. With three consecutive losses the Cherry and White's season has hit a considerable speed bump and even the promising performances of Ross Moriarty and Tom Marshall will do little to put smiles back on their faces. Conversely Bath are quietly starting to look a little more like themselves again but have a very large test en route in Round 19 as Saracens head to The Recreation Ground.

Just a few miles up the M5 Dean Ryan’s Worcester Warriors secured a record-breaking fourth successive Premiership victory and with it almost certainly booked their place in next year's Premiership competition. The match again London Irish wasn’t the most beautiful of games, ok I’ll rephrase that, it was a dour affair but that matters little to the hosts. Ultimately Worcester took their chances and London Irish squandered theirs and it is as simple as that. Handling errors costed the Exiles certain tries and bizarrely they decided to turn down what appeared to be kickable opportunities at goal in favour of going for more points, that never then materialised. The result means that Worcester head into Round 18 with a spring in their step while the Exiles cling onto their losing bonus-point and know that they've still got one hell of a challenge on their hands to stay up. 

The Easter Sunday service started at the AJ Bell Stadium with an enthralling match between the Sale Sharks and Leicester Tigers. Steve Diamond’s men have been immensely difficult to topple at home and used every ounce of their determination to ensure that their unbeaten 2016 record at the AJ Bell remains. Leicester Tigers’ mistakes proved costly in the end, Vereniki Goneva atoned for dropping the ball over the line with a second-half try but Richard Cockerill knows that they cannot afford such mishaps at this point in the season. A positive was watching Manu Tuilagi bit 'beast mode' with ease and his journey back to full fitness continues at pace. For the hosts Cameron Neild had an outstanding day at the office as did Danny Cipriani and it was his piece of individual brilliance that delivered the result for the Sharks. With the result and Saints’ victory, Leicester slip to fifth while with a game in hand Steve Diamond’s side keep their eyes firmly on a Top 6 prize.

At Kingston Park the Newcastle Falcons didn’t have enough power in their ranks to deliver Andy Goode with a victorious send off against his former side. Wasps will play better eighty minutes of rugby this season however it was a case of job done and move on for Dai Young and his side. The visitors had two potent try-scoring patches that turned the screw and the match their way. Scrum-half Dan Robson was sparky and his consistent performances while Joe Simpson is recovering from injury have been vital for Wasps' successes. George McGuigan's try put the hosts back into the game on the hour mark but as mentioned they didn’t have another gear to go into. Wasps will keep looking up the table as they continue to put pressure on Exeter Chiefs ahead of them but Falcons may just have a little glance over their shoulders as Irish are now only 4-points away. 

(C) @ClaireMackay2 

Finally the fans at Franklin's Gardens and all watching on BT Sport were treated to a dynamic match between Northampton Saints and Harlequins. From start to finish it contained combative and physical rugby with neither side wanting to give the other an inch. Thanks to their returning Internationals Harlequins looked like a different side to the one that we’ve seen in recent weeks and Tim Visser's and Jack Clifford’s contributions registered on the scoreboard. But, when it came down to it the victory and bonus-point belonged to Saints. As a collective the home side battled hard for their result with Teimana Harrison and Mikey Haywood standing out in the pack and George Pisi and Harry Mallinder providing the decisive moments in the backs. It was another sign that Saints’ season has undergone a sharp U-turn since the dismal earlier rounds and Harlequins will know that the match could prove to be a costly miss in their pursuit for the play-offs. 

Aviva Premiership Round 18 Preview

While many people across the country are putting their feet up our Aviva Premiership teams are ready and prepared for one of the most important rounds of the domestic season. With just 5 rounds to go every single point counts and the prospect of so many in form Internationals returning to league action means that we could see some of the best games of the season this Easter weekend. 

Some will say that all of England's Grand Slam winners should have been given time off but I can guarantee you that the ones that will be running out this weekend will be eager to continue playing rugby. England's Grand Slam saw so many players really ignite their personal form and they'll all arrive back to their clubs with a great deal of confidence and energy. Across the board there are scintillating matches including a top of the table clash and a West Country Derby so I do hope that within your Easter plans you’ve blocked out ample time to go to, or watch, the domestic action?

Round 18 is starting with an almighty clash between the top two sides in the competition and some are predicting this to be a dress rehearsal for the 2016 Final! Saracens have won just one of their last 4 matches and lost 2 of their last 3 at home but are welcoming back some of England’s and indeed Europe’s finest. Conversely Exeter have only lost once in their last five Premiership fixtures and were victorious on their most recent visit to Allianz Park in Round 21 last season. Saracens’ England stars will provide everything that they’ve been missing, a seamless set piece, immense physical go forward and outstanding game management. Over the past few weeks we’ve seen Exeter allow opponents into matches only to squash them eventually but against Saracens they cannot do that. All of the Chiefs’ fundamentals need to be on point from the word go. We need to see more stardust from Henry Slade and across the board they have to be physically robust.

It is not just another Premiership round at Kingsholm, it is a Derby round and that means that emotions and performance levels rise up a level. Slowly but surely we’ve started to see Bath playing a bit more rugby and their recent progress should be accelerated greatly by the return of George Ford, Anthony Watson and Jonathan Joseph. All three arrive back at Bath playing at a higher standard than when they left in January and that will be vital for their team’s output. For Gloucester Rugby Saturday will be about ensuring that their pack are firing on all four cylinders and that the whole of the back line follow Tom Marshall 's lead. As always discilpine will be king, especially from Bath for they have given away the most yellow cards in the competition to date and cannot afford to get on the wrong side of Wayne Barnes. A little look at the Met Office website is predicting rain and that will add yet another dimension to an already intriguing fixture. 

Currently 13 league points separate Worcester Warriors and London Irish and after Saturday’s encounter the home side will be hoping that it becomes more. London Irish had been building towards a victory for a few rounds but gaining back-to-back results is an altogether different beast. Worcester make just one change, welcoming back Cooper Vuna and the settled nature to their XV is a great asset. Irish’s pack have to produce a similar performance to the one they delivered at the Madejski last weekend and collective self-belief will be vital. Both sides know the importance of Round 18 to their respective fortunes but my gut feel says that the home side will deliver the more all around performance and take the spoils.

At the AJ Bell Stadium Sale Sharks’ unbeaten 2016 home record is going to be put under severe pressure as the Leicester Tigers are arriving in town. Leicester are throwing Dan Cole, Ben Youngs and Manu Tuilagi straight back into their starting line-up and like the rest of their England teammates all will be brimming with confidence. Steve Diamond has made a number of changes to the side that lost to Wasps and will be demanding a much higher output in Round 18. Physicality will be the name of the game at the AJ Bell Stadium and of course Sale’s defensive output will be severely tested with the multiple threats housed in Tigers’ back line. Both sides' packs are proficient at the set piece and will look to overpower the other in closer quarters while out the back I expect to see metres carved up and half-backs wrestling for supremacy. 

The Round 18 match at Kingston Park between Newcastle Falcons and Wasps is being billed ‘Goode Sunday’ in honour of Andy Goode’s last professional match. In a short time the fly-half has become a fans' favourite in the North East and has been superb during his short-term contract. However it could be a difficult afternoon for the home side as the form book is heavily skewed in the favour of the visitors. Wasps have lost only one of the last nine encounters in all tournaments while the home side have slipped to four straight defeats. Dean Richards has made four changes to his backline with Michael Young, Adam Powell and Alex Tait starting and then Sean Robinson coming into the pack. Dai Young is welcoming back some of his big guns with Joe Launchbury and Elliot Daly returning from England duties and George Smith fit again. If I’m brutally honest I expect it to be a difficult afternoon for the home side, Wasps are absolutely flying at the moment and I don’t think that Newcastle, even on top form, will have the power to stop them.

The final game of the weekend will be played at Franklin’s Gardens where the Northampton Saints will host Harlequins. The RBS 6 Nations period has been brutal for the visitors and they gladly welcome back Danny Care, Tim Visser, Jamie Roberts, Joe Marler, Jack Clifford and Mike Brown into their starting line up with Chris Robshaw taking a place on the bench. The impact that all seven players will have means that we cannot look back at Quins’ previous output as a barometer for Sunday afternoon’s match. The Northampton Saints also have returning fire-power to boost their line up with Luther Burrell, George North and Stephen Myler coming into the back line and Kieran Brookes and Tom Wood returning to the pack. I’m fascinated to see what impact an in form George North will have on Saints' back line and Harlequins should fly with the calibre of their starting XV. 

Round 18 Stats & Facts

• Saracens have relinquished top spot in the Aviva Premiership table for the first time this season, having won just one of their last four matches 
• Bath have been victorious on their last two visits to Kinghsolm in Aviva Premiership Rugby – no visiting team has ever won three successive Premiership Rugby fixtures at the famous old ground.
• Worcester Warriors have won their last three Aviva Premiership Rugby matches but have never won four in a row in the history of the tournament.
• Sale have not lost in any competition at AJ Bell Stadium since Harlequins were the visitors in Premiership Rugby on 25th April 2015.
• Wasps have lost only one of their last nine encounters in all tournaments, 10-13 at Gloucester in their most recent away game in round 15 of Aviva Premiership Rugby – they have not lost successive away games in the tournament since the start of this season.
• The Saints have won their last six fixtures against Harlequins in all tournaments since the Londoners’ 22-19 victory at the Stoop in Premiership Rugby in May 2013.

Grand Slam Winners 2016 - England Rugby

England Rugby - Grand Slam Winners. 

As Nigel Owens blew the full time whistle at the Stade de France and Swing Low Sweet Chariot reverberated around the stadium the emotion poured out of England’s players. Finally they’d achieved their goal and victory tasted even sweeter because France had made them work hard for it. 

Eight weeks earlier this squad came together at Pennyhill Park and set their ambition for the tournament ahead; to become the most dominant side in Europe. Those outside of England’s camp may have thought that after their World Cup woes it was too lofty and an unachievable goal. Yet, those involved knew that if they developed game-on-game and performed to their potential it was eminently possible. 

So what of the final piece of the puzzle and the Grand Slam winning match itself? Well it was not the walkover that it could have been, instead France saved their best performance until last and made a game of it. Vakatawa was lively out wide, Guirado was his usual rumbustious self and as a collective the home side finally found some organisation in attack and defence. Yet England stayed focused, it wasn’t the most beautiful game that we’ve see them deliver however they held their nerve and put the required points on the board.  

England’s second-row pairing were mesmeric; both George Kruis and Maro Itoje were athletic, confrontation and mightily efficient at the set piece. In the back row Chris Robshaw and James Haskell were unrelenting in their output and Ben Youngs sublime. Of course discipline remains a thorn in England’s side and one that they need to sort out but when the result was a victory and a Grand Slam Title I’m loathed to pick too many holes in their output. 

The importance of Saturday night’s win and finally finishing the job cannot be underestimated. The fact is that if England had lost in Paris the wind would have been taken out of their sails and their improved performances during the tournament have counted for little. Instead victory has set the tone for the months and years to come. 

There will be individuals that are saying that we’re making too much of 5 victories and one Grand Slam title, however I firmly disagree. This England squad is very young, most of their starting XVs in the tournament had an average age of 24, and they are in the infancy of learning from a new management team. There’s no denying that foundations laid by Stuart Lancaster and his team were strong ones but it’s the prospect of this squad blooming under Eddie Jones’ tutelage that fills you with excitement. The Australian’s influence on their psychology and on their output on the field of play has been impressive. In a short space of time the players are flourishing and Eddie Jones has only scratched the surface of what he wants to do with them.

With a Grand Slam Title safely in the bag England’s players will now return to their Aviva Premiership clubs for a busy few months. The schedule in unrelenting but it will be handled with the spring in their step that comes from winning. Meanwhile their coach will use the time to asses their progress so far, review all of his players and start to construct a game plan to face, and beat, Australia. Prior to this tournament a summer tour Down Under was a daunting prospect, now it becomes a hugely exciting one. 

In a few short weeks England have played themselves into the history books and will take great satisfaction in being crowned the 2016 RBS 6 Nations Grand Slam Champions. But their head coach will keep their feet firmly the ground because in his eyes this Grand Slam is simply a ‘nice first step’. 

Crunch Time - England Rugby

‘We’ve won the Championship, but the job feels half done for us at the moment.’

This week Pennyhill Park was a focused and determined place, the Championship title has been brushed aside because at this moment in time it means nothing to England's players and management. As Eddie Jones says the job feels half done and they'll only believe that they've achieved something if they take the Grand Slam on Saturday night. 

In professional sport we don’t often hear head coaches deliver definitive opinions ahead of matches, instead they share more tentative views with the outside world. However, as we witnessed at Eddie Jones' team announcement on Thursday afternoon that's not the way that the Australian works. The words 'when we beat France' were expressed loudly and clearly and it wasn't a slip of the tongue. England's head coach is clear on his viewpoint and wants his side to have the same confident mindset; 

“I think that we’re the better team and we have to believe we’re the better team. If you go into Grand Slam games thinking you’re not the better team you are going to get beaten so we have to think we are the better team and put it on the paddock. Why have we won the trophy with one game to spare? It’s not because we are inferior to the other teams. so we have to go out there and perform like that. If we can’t handle that then we’re not as good as we think we are and we have to get better.”

The selection tweaks that have been made with Danny Care and Mako Vunipola starting clearly highlight England’s game plan. England will commence the match with tempo and pace in order to defuse France’s early resistance. We’re all familiar with the French passion, it’s one of their great assets playing at home, and yet when things don’t go their way the crowd turns and heads drop. England’s ambition will be to ensure that this happens prior to half-time on Saturday and then show that they've learn the lessons from the Wales game and continue to put their foot on the gas until the final whistle. 

Of course it would be typically French for the home side to suddenly click and deliver their performance of the tournament. To date we've seen moments of hope interspersed within a great deal of disorganisation and disarray. Captain Guilhem Guirado has been the only man to emerge with any true credit but when you read their team sheet you know that if they click they'll pose a strong challenge. 

So it's clear that England have to ensure that they don’t give France an opportunity to gain any foothold in the game. Defensively Paul Gustard has them firing on all four cylinders and this test match will be as much about England’s defence as it will their attack. In my eyes there isn’t a secret ingredient to winning at the Stade de France instead a victory will come from Eddie Jones' side delivering all of the elements that we’ve seen to date. We’ve seen powerful and sturdy scrummaging, quick and efficient lineouts and physical breakdown work. We've also seen precise attack with George Ford taking it flat to the line, crisp handling and the ability of England's back three to exploit any a hint of space. In my opinion there’s absolutely no reason in the world why we shouldn’t witness all of these elements again on Saturday night. 

Of course this match has an added emotional element to it however this England side must show a steely resolve and a blinkered focus on executing their processes. If emotions are bubbling then they have to be channelled in the right manner and used positivity. For the 23-men wearing white jerseys Saturday evening has to be thought of as just another game of rugby that needs to be won and another step in their progress. 

The long and the short of it is that if England keep their wits about them, control their emotions and put their game on the park they will finish the job and end the 13-year wait for a RBS 6 Nations Grand Slam. 

Spring In Their Step - England Rugby

It is safe to say that when England crashed out of a home Rugby World Cup the nation was a fairly gloomy place. Years of preparation, both on and off the field, had come to nothing and that hurt, a lot.  

As an onlooker into the England camp I cannot being to imagine the level of hurt and strength of the emotions felt by all involved in last year’s World Cup campaign. The players had trained for their entire careers to play in a home tournament, an opportunity that they’ll never get again, and yet they’d fallen disastrously short. The management had worked for hours on end refining their thoughts and strategies to deliver when it mattered and they’d got it wrong. The immediate aftermath was a difficult time for English rugby and as players returned to the open arms of their domestic clubs we all sensed that the only true way forward would be to see a change at the top.

After Stuart Lancaster’s departure there was little time available for an appointment to be made and yet there was absolutely no room for error as frustration was rife and falling short again would not be accepted. This time it was clear that England needed, and wanted, someone that would take charge with an unrelenting clarity of purpose and an individual that had experienced the world of rugby in its entirety. 

In the days after Eddie Jones’ appointment those that knew or had worked with him before were quick to proclaim that he was the right man for the job. To date they’ve been proved right, of course it is early days however all of the signs are that he, and his management team, are providing the right environment to take the national side to new heights. 

The Australian’s forthright personality is exactly what England need and his principles and style of man management are already bringing out the best of those under his tutelage. As he reflects on his opening four matches in charge Eddie Jones is heaping the praise on the players for changing their own fortunes however we all know that he's the force driving their progression. 

Eddie Jones could have chosen an easy life at the Stormers, someone with his amount of experience would have breezed that role. Instead he’s chosen the bright lights and unrelenting pressure of the England role. Why? Due to the talent that he has within his control and the potential that he believes that he can draw out of them. 

Of course it’s all plain sailing at the moment because the national side are winning and that is unlikely to be the case throughout their head coach’s four-year tenure. However you believe that when, or should I say if, the losses arrive their head coach will deal with them efficiently and pragmatically. In professional sport losing is part of the course and if dealt with correctly teaches the lessons that need to be learned and is an important step in a team’s development. I'm not saying that this wasn't done before, I'm simply pointing out that at Eddie Jones' no nonsense approach is exactly what's required. 

I am firmly of the opinion that if the RFU had chosen a different coach, one with a more placid approach and less experience then England wouldn’t be playing the type of rugby that they are now and wouldn’t be in line to take their first Grand Slam since 2003. England are a long way off from being the finished article and, in fact, are a long way off being ‘Eddie Jones’ England. But the fact of the matter is that they’ve started their development and this new chapter with purpose. 

After the lows of September and October 2015 English rugby is starting to get a spring back in its step, they have a Grand Slam within their grasp and it appears that the RFU's selection was the right one. 

A Sweet Victory - England v Wales

‘Greatness is defined by being able to do it on the big stage and the great thing about Saturday is that Saturday is a big stage isn’t it?’

It was a stage that Eddie Jones’ England almost slipped up on however their opening purpose combined with sheer will and guts saw them through to deliver a hugely satisfying 25-21 victory. 

On the Twickenham turf we watched individuals excel, Dylan Hartley, Maro Itoje and Owen Farrell were at the heart of the home side's victory. England's captain led his side with distinction he was rock solid in the scrummage, worked tirelessly in the loose and managed an open dialogue with referee Craig Joubert. Maro Itoje had won the Man of the Match award before half-time, he was mesmeric in all facets of the game and at lineout time worked superbly with George Kruis to deliver 100% success. Finally Owen Farrell's goal-kicking display was sensational, you cannot win a game of rugby in which you score 1 try to your opponents' 3 without a 100% goal-kicker and in defence he was his usual combative best. 

Yes England made life very difficult for themselves, Eddie Jones called it 'a learning experience' and I'm sure it is one he wants his side to learn only once! However over the course of the full eighty you have to say that the home team deserved the victory and the opportunity that they now have for a Grand Slam title. 

Had the match finished when England were 25-7 up there would be little to criticise about their performance. For 60 minutes they disrupted Wales, pushed them off their stride and looked hungry in attack. In defence England executed their key principles superbly with ordered spacing, brutal collisions and a quick line-speed. Wales’ key gainline ball carriers were contained and at the same time the English set piece, scrummage and lineout, were rock solid. 

Alas they left points out there and after the break did not raise their intensity when the momentum went shifted against them. Dan Cole’s yellow card will have exasperated the management and through George North’s purpose England found themselves firmly on the back foot. A horrific thought swept across the nation, could lightning strike twice? 

They’ll be plenty of debates today about whether or not North was in touch with that final ball wide. I’ll leave them to rumble on as it cannot be changed now, instead it set up a heart stopping lineout for England. Luke Cowan Dickie’s time in a white jersey hasn’t been covered in glory when it comes to lineout throwing and yet once Maro Itoje had made the call he safely found Joe Launchbury. With the momentum of the game if he’d missed his man the feeling was that the match could have gone with it… needless to say it was the longest 10 seconds of match and even the coolest of operators, Eddie Jones, would have felt his heart pounding in his chest.

Openly it was said that this test match wasn’t about the 26th September and ‘that’ Rugby World Cup loss and yet we all know the players that were involved in both will be waking up today with an immense feeling of closure and satisfaction. Nothing will change the fact that England crashed out of the World Cup largely due to that game against Wales however this victory will ensure that they can move forwards with clear heads and renewed confidence. The demons have been exorcised and now the focus will forever be forward looking from all that follow England Rugby and not just those inside the camp.

‘The Grand Slam is on, isn’t it!?' said Eddie Jones post match with a slight glimmer in his eyes. Many will say that this RBS 6 Nations tournament hasn’t been a vintage affair and across the board has been lacking quality matches and they are correct. Yet England are using it in exactly the right manner, to progress game on game and embed their new mangement's principles. Players are flourishing under Eddie Jones and his team, you only have to look at the output of Maro Itoje, Anthony Watson, Dylan Hartley and Owen Farrell to see that… in fact I could name the entire squad after that statement but I won’t.

England’s opportunity is a great one, France are unstructured, disorganised and a shadow of their former selves. Of course if Scotland win today the Championship title will be England's yet you believe that they want more. The opening half was as impressive as I've seen England be for a while and the belief that they'll gain from riding out and triumphing in the final 20 cannot be underestimated. So now all roads lead to Paris for one final RBS 6 Nations test match and potentially the scene of England’s first Grand Slam since 2003.

The Fiercest Rivalry - England v Wales

"There’s that intense rivalry there, and you’re never going to get away from that. There’s this little country sitting there next to a big country. It’s little brother, big brother."

Eddie Jones may not be a native Englishman however he fully understands the ferocity of the rivalry between England and Wales. It is the most potent of all in the Northern Hemisphere, it is the one that has provided some of the most intense RBS 6 Nations test matches in recent years and Saturday’s will have an extra edge due to their recent history.

On Thursday afternoon Eddie Jones openly dismissed the notion that memories of 'that' game on 26th September will fuel his squad’s motivation, in spite of 8 of the same starting XV being on the field. Instead he deemed it to be 'irrelevant' and followed that with; 

“We haven’t spoken about it once because it is irrelevant to this group of players. This group of players trains differently and they think differently about the game. We’ve all had games in the past where we’ve been scarred. I’ve been scarred by games in the past as a coach, but if you carry those on you don’t stay involved in high-level sport because you can’t carry baggage around.”

This dismissal of what occurred in September is a clear statement from England’s camp to their opponents. In their refusal to discuss ‘that’ test match they are limiting the opportunities to highlight the fact that on the big stage they were weaker than Saturday's opponents. Instead they are reinforcing, wholeheartedly, the fact that this is a ‘new’ England, a stronger England and one that has fresh motivations and a forward looking lens. 

Like all tests between England and Wales Saturday afternoon’s match is going to be attritional and intense. In defence neither side will give an inch, Shaun Edwards and Paul Gustard are two of the best defensive minds in the Northern Hemisphere and as a result both sides are well organised and confrontational. Wales will play their powerful and direct game, the one that has unstuck others so far this tournament but England’s head coach has said that from it he sees ‘massive opportunities to attack them’ due to ‘certain players having certain habits’. Naturally Eddie Jones didn’t go into further detail about these opportunities but if Ford and Farrell are at their decision making best and the rest of the back line raise their game England have the ability to penetrate Wales' line sufficiently. 

Of course other elements will have great significance on the test match as this week's verbal jousting has paid testament too. Eddie Jones' open criticism of Wales' 'terribly illegal' practices at the scrummage is yet another part of his strategy to put England in the best possible position ahead of the game. The Australian may have left his war of words late but he's fired his shots well and with precision. Jones has gone on the front foot saying England's scrummage is 'stronger' so they want the laws to be properly enforced in order to ensure a fair contest. We all know how critical set piece dominance is and now all eyes will not only be on the two sets of front-rows but on referee Craig Joubert. It was another canny  move and an important part of the build-up to this match. 

The mantra from inside England’s camp is to focus on the here and now and that includes settled XV, that has been building with every match and a bench that is an extremely exciting one. Earlier this week Manu Tuilagi made waves in England’s camp, cutting lines in their defensive pattern that displeased Paul Gustard and showed everyone his ability. Tuilagi may still be a number of games away from his very best but he is at the stage where he could turn a match in England's favour. Others on the bench, Mako Vunipola, Danny Care and Joe Launchbury in particular, have proven their worth this tournament and will be vital in enabling England to play at maximum intensity for the full eighty.

Wales are a settled and experienced test team, one that doesn't fear Twickenham Stadium in the slightest and one that expects to win on Saturday. On paper Wales should win this test match and yet you sense that England are about to deliver a huge performance, the one that we should have seen back in September. In doing so they should take another step forwards as a 'new' side and whether they want to admit it or not in the process they'll gain revenge for that harrowing defeat back in September 2015.

Pulling All Of The Strings - Eddie Jones

As soon as Eddie Jones’ was confirmed as England’s new head coach it was clear that England were going to enter a new era and one that was quite different to what we had seen previously. Eddie Jones is not a man to entertain the word compromise, the Australian does everything his way and that includes the manner in which he manages, and uses, the media. 

"He's like a Vauxhall Viva now, we want to make him into a BMW. He's got a lot of work to do, but he's got potential."

“I said to the boys already that’s our aim: to go out there and give them a good hiding. That’s the only thing we want to worry about.”

"It has worked for them. It is not the way I think you should play rugby but it has been successful for them. They minimise their risk.”

In just a few short weeks Eddie Jones has ignited our papers, TV screens and airways with his outspoken approach. We've heard quick quips, comparisons to football teams and questions raised over individual's fitness levels. There are some that haven’t been happy with his strategy calling it scaremongering and questioning whether or not it fits with the values of rugby. However from where I'm sitting we are watching Eddie Jones pull all of the strings - on and off the field. The manner in which he is conducting his media duties is all part of his process to bring English rugby out of its shell and finally reach the heights that he believes are possible. 

After so many years in the professional game Eddie Jones understands the power of the media and exactly how to use it to his, and his team’s, full advantage. England’s head coach says everything for a reason and only gives away the information that believes will be of benefit to divulge. The 56-year-old won't be cajoled into anything and if he needs a moment or two to work out his strategy then he’ll throw in a quick joke. As the laughter rings around the press room he takes the time to formulate his next step and then continues to answer the question. He is a canny operator.

The fact of the matter is that since the start of the RBS 6 Nations we have been all be focusing on Eddie Jones, not his players, and that is having positive impacts on England. 

First, he is riling opponents. Scotland, Italy or Ireland may not openly admit it however Eddie Jones certainly made his presence felt in the build-up to all three test matches. He poked them with his comments, ruffled a few feathers and when it came to game day it seemed to have the desired effect on all three. 

Second, he is taking the pressure off his players for while the spotlight is firmly on Eddie they are quietly going about their business and improving. Under the Australian younger squad members aren’t allowed to face the media, they have to do something of note and be ready for it before he allows them air-time. Maro Itoje was a prime example of this, in years gone by a player earning his first International start would have been put on media duties to express how proud and excited he was. This time Itoje was kept under wraps and Jones said 'when he’s played a massive game for England and won a significant Test match, I’ll let you talk to him'  Once again this another manifestation of smart media management.

Of course it's a big departure from the style that we’ve witnessed in recent years but in all honesty it is exactly what England need. Under Stuart Lancaster England were extremely polite and respectful, both are admirable characteristics, however in the cold light of day you have to admit that they are not always world beating ones. Of course you can be polite and be a winner however more often than not those that ruthlessly pursue victory have a gnarly edge about them and a sharpness of character. 

Right now, Eddie Jones is making his presence felt in the Northern Hemisphere, he's playing the game with ease and while he has put himself on a self-imposed media ban until just before the Wales game that is just another astute tactic in his strategy to put England in the best possible position to face Wales.