Expectations abound for Six Nations and Bath wing deserves another shot in the starting lineup to show his raw attributes
O
ptimism abounds about England’s Six Nations chances. They go into a tournament considered as one of the genuine favourites for the title for the first time in years and they have the body of work to back that up after 11 consecutive victories. That sort of winning streak leads to greater expectations but these players can walk tall and handle external pressure.
I would warn against expecting another 50-point victory against Wales on Saturday, however. The fixture list aligns perfectly for England – if Steve Borthwick were to handpick his side’s schedule then this would probably be it – and while I fully expect them to beat Wales and claim a bonus point, we have to remember that they are never at their best at the start of a campaign. The Professional Game Partnership might have made some aspects of bringing together players from 10 different clubs an easier task, but it is still a challenge. As a result, we cannot expect that England will be at their fluent best at Twickenham.
The beauty of the fixture list means England get to open their campaign against a side who are in the doldrums, without a win in 11 matches in the tournament and mired in off-field problems. It’s an opportunity to fully get everyone on to the same page before going up against Scotland at Murrayfield which will quite simply make or break England’s campaign. Win it, end their poor recent run in Edinburgh and England are perfectly set for a tilt at the title. Come unstuck again and history is repeating itself for Borthwick’s side, the progression becomes harder to see and this team remains a work in progress.
