Before the game Eddie Jones said the words ‘we’ve been pottering along and today I think that you'll see a much improved performance from us.’ While I wouldn’t have perhaps used the word pottering I did share his viewpoint that this England squad were due a big performance and that's exactly what they delivered at Twickenham Stadium.
Trust me I’m not just jumping on the Australian’s coat tails here the words in my match preview ‘there’s an almighty performance brewing and one that will be unleashed on Scotland’. However what I don’t think that any of us saw coming was Scotland’s struggles especially not after their blistering second-half against Wales. From early on they looked like rabbits in the headlights and while they worked tirelessly until the final whistle I expect to see a huge reaction unleashed on Italy whom I feel sorry for.
Trust me I’m not just jumping on the Australian’s coat tails here the words in my match preview ‘there’s an almighty performance brewing and one that will be unleashed on Scotland’. However what I don’t think that any of us saw coming was Scotland’s struggles especially not after their blistering second-half against Wales. From early on they looked like rabbits in the headlights and while they worked tirelessly until the final whistle I expect to see a huge reaction unleashed on Italy whom I feel sorry for.
Let’s turn our attentions to England shall we? Needless to say if you’re going to win a Test match, take the Six Nations title for a second year in a row and equal New Zealand’s record number of consecutive victories they you really do want to do it in style and that’s what they did. The key elements were all there from a solid set piece to the potency in attack that’s required at the very hightest level. In short England looked like the No 2 team in the world and we all know their ambitions are higher than that.
Of course in any Test match individuals catch your eye and it’s obvious to start with Jonathan Joseph. The Bath man was in the zone and thrived off the space created on the field. His footwork was mesmeric and his pace, that's often forgotten about was shown in full glory. Much of the 25-year-old's head-turning work this Championship has been defensively and yet this time around he coupled that with the genius that he possesses going forwards. In short he did his Lions chances no end of good and set his own benchmark from hereon in at Test and club level.
Courtney Lawes may not have gained the same headlines but was described as ‘superb’ by his head coach and rightly so. The Northampton Saint is a player that’s flourished under Eddie Jones’ man management - he’s raised his own standards and is realising his very great potential. Lawes is an abrasive and gnarly presence in England’s engine room and one that has great lineout proficiency too. The lock's star is rising game by game and if selected there's no question that he will get stuck in at the Aviva Stadium. Of course there are others - Owen Farrell shrugged off his dead leg with ease and alongside George Ford made the game sing in only the way that the duo can, Billy Vunipola arrived back with a bang and Mike Brown was solid as a rock at the back.
Courtney Lawes may not have gained the same headlines but was described as ‘superb’ by his head coach and rightly so. The Northampton Saint is a player that’s flourished under Eddie Jones’ man management - he’s raised his own standards and is realising his very great potential. Lawes is an abrasive and gnarly presence in England’s engine room and one that has great lineout proficiency too. The lock's star is rising game by game and if selected there's no question that he will get stuck in at the Aviva Stadium. Of course there are others - Owen Farrell shrugged off his dead leg with ease and alongside George Ford made the game sing in only the way that the duo can, Billy Vunipola arrived back with a bang and Mike Brown was solid as a rock at the back.
At 30-7 up Eddie Jones' half time message was simple and again highlights the impact he’s having on them;
"That we were ruthless [the message was] and that we behave like the number one team in the world. The number one team in the world goes on and finishes that off. I think there were some great lessons for us today.”
As always this England side will analyse their output to the nth degree and take their lessons into the intense arena that will be the Aviva Stadium and do battle with an Ireland team that according to England’s head coach ‘love to spoil parties’. He’s right and this party would be the biggest of them all - not only halting a Grand Slam but stopping their opponents from breaking New Zealand’s winning-record. As he does Eddie Jones took the oportunity to set the agenda early and personally I can't wait for the build-up to continue towards this electric encounter.
“Ireland psychologically are in a very strong position. They’re beaten, they’re out of the tournament and they love spoiling parties. The party that they would love to spoil the most if the England party.
So, they have got an enormous amount of psychological advantage. We are vulnerable because we have won, we are Champions of the Six Nations. We are in the most vulnerable state and we are going to have to work hard to get ourselves right for the game. And, we will work and we will be right”
Here’s the thing, with this group of players under the management in place you do believe that they will be right. Ireland will react big time after their loss in Cardiff but if England take their performance from Twickenham Stadium and step up again then they will finish the job. A three Test tour in Australia showed that this team have no qualms about playing away from home and at the end of the day the Aviva Stadium is just another venue with green grass and the right sized pitch. It will be brutal, it will be intense and without question it will finish the Six Nations with a bang. Can’t wait for ? Neither can I! 