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The third weekend of the Six Nations used to be a time for contemplation and reflection. After the fury of the first two rounds, everything would stop for a much-needed fallow week in which to restore energy levels. And now? The battle-scarred gladiators are about to “go again”, putting their bodies on the line out on the pitch or, in the case of travelling supporters, in the pub.
Player welfare rules OK? That debate still rumbles on but certain other areas – fitness, mental resilience, squad depth – traditionally reserved for the tournament’s closing fortnight are increasingly front and centre. The rhythm of this year’s championship is subtly different, particularly for sides such as England with only two home fixtures. Slip up for a second successive Saturday and that’s it, folks, until November in terms of high-profile Twickenham opportunities.
The Six Nations title will also disappear down the swollen River Thames for another year unless England can restore some equilibrium in the wake of their Murrayfield jolt. Another defeat, by an Ireland side who have been looking about as vibrant and fresh as an old episode of Mrs Brown’s Boys, would unquestionably be a backward step, regardless of the potential that Steve Borthwick’s squad clearly possess.
That may also have underpinned Andy Farrell’s experience-heavy visiting team selection. Back into the starting lineup come a veritable Mount Rushmore of familiar thirtysomethings – Josh van der Flier, Tadhg Beirne, Tadhg Furlong, Jamison Gibson-Park – all capable of jamming an old-school spanner into the sweet chariot’s wheels. For this big stadium gig, Farrell has essentially reunited the Irish oval-ball equivalent of U2 and challenged Bono, the Edge and co to rattle and hum one more time.
Admittedly it’s not quite up there with the famous recall of Tony O’Reilly, aged 33, for this same fixture in 1970 after a seven-year international career break. O’Reilly wasn’t in the greatest shape, as his captain, Willie John McBride, wryly observed when the wing admitted he was nervous about facing his lightning-quick English counterpart, Keith Fielding. “I wouldn’t worry too much,” said McBride. “By the time he runs around you he’s going to be bloody tired.”
Joking aside, Farrell could do with a statement performance from his leading men every bit as much as Borthwick clearly does. Round three is still “moving day” in terms of the championship leaderboard and, with a run-in comprising successive home games against Wales and Scotland, the moment of truth for Ireland has arrived. Yes, they were blown away in the rain in Paris and were a touch fortunate to escape the clutches of Italy’s scrum but, equally, they have not morphed into no-hopers overnight.
Ireland have also won four of their past five Six Nations meetings with England, the exception being two years ago when Marcus Smith’s late, late drop goal edged the hosts home 23-22. There is an entire PhD thesis to be written on the reasons why Smith’s international career has not kicked on since that compelling contest but, as it happens, Ireland have also not been the same force since the summer of 2024.
Which is what makes this weekend so fascinating. What further motivation could Ireland’s old stagers need than to stand in the tunnel alongside the young English pretender to their slowly slipping crown? Henry Pollock is making his first Test start on Saturday and it is only a tiny exaggeration to suggest that if the 21-year-old goes well against Ireland’s more seasoned back row then England will be three-quarters of the way to the winners’ enclosure.
While Farrell rated the Northampton tyro highly enough to take him on the British & Irish Lions tour last summer, he ended up preferring Conan and Beirne in his Test XV when push came to shove. Since then, though, even legendary old Lions such as Keith Wood have been re-evaluating the blond-haired, black-headbanded future and wondering if their initial perceptions may need updating. “I looked at him at the start and I said: ‘My God, he’s a pain in the arse,’” the former Ireland captain said this week.
“I look at him now and I think: ‘My God, he’s a pain in the arse but he is box office.’ And for somebody who many people say hasn’t done a huge amount, he has done extraordinary things. I want players of that calibre on the rugby field. I want to see the personality. You don’t have to like every single part of it. But he is a nuisance and a thorn in the side of the opposition. I’d say he’s even driving his own teammates batty half the time – but he is electric.”
A surge of electricity is unquestionably what England need after their sluggish, error-strewn loss in Edinburgh. If their previous 12-game winning run did breed a hint of complacency, that has now vanished. Borthwick is backing several of his players to respond immediately and the return of Ollie Lawrence and redeployment of Tommy Freeman on the wing should add to their attacking options.
There is also the small matter of Maro Itoje’s 100th Test appearance for England, which he will hope proves more fulfilling than his 99th. Perhaps the biggest compliment to pay the 31-year-old is to stop for a moment and imagine where England – and the Lions – would have been without him at the heart of their pack over the past decade. With any luck there will be plenty more caps to come.
In the shorter term, though, the captain will be hoping to extend England’s nine-match winning run at home, stretching back to a 29-20 defeat by South Africa 15 months ago. Ireland have ended such sequences before, not least in 2018 when England had been unbeaten at Twickenham for more than two years under Eddie Jones.
This season, though, England’s share price has been rising, notwithstanding last week’s market correction. Scrum-wise they will fancy gaining parity at the very least and, with some dampness in the air, their tactical kicking and chasing game should pose a few more problems if Henry Arundell remains on the field for slightly longer this time.
They can also dig deep in the knowledge that next week, finally, offers some brief respite before the championship’s back-to-back concluding rounds in March. Ireland have the knowhow to be spoilsports, with Stuart McCloskey’s midfield offloading ability and Robert Baloucoune’s footwork also potential threats, but if England do not win this weekend’s generation game, even by the tightest of margins, they will be seriously disappointed.
