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Back and Greenwood are not backing England for Six Nations glory
Ireland are in pole position to claim the Six Nations title, according to legendary England World Cup winners Neil Back and Will Greenwood.
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Eddie Jones’ side have won each of the last two editions – winning all five matches in 2016 before a defeat to Ireland in last year’s final fixture denied them another unblemished record.
That reverse marked the second time in seven years that England fell at the last hurdle of their Grand Slam quest away in Dublin, and the two favourites are scheduled to meet again in 2018’s concluding round – on St Patrick’s Day, but this time on English soil.
Back and Greenwood were key cogs in England’s all-conquering 2003 vintage which secured Grand Slam and World Cup glory under Clive Woodward, and the former predicts Joe Schmidt’s men will come out on top, although he does not expect any side to complete a perfect campaign.
The Ireland squad were in Spain last week preparing for the #NatWest6Nations. It wasn't all sun, sea and sand – here they are putting in the hard yards on the pitch and in the gym. #TeamOfUs pic.twitter.com/0oPhJo5dFu
— Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) January 29, 2018
“I think England are definitely the team to beat, but a good compass as to where teams are is the Champions Cup,” Back told Omnisport.
“The English teams haven’t done particularly well – only Saracens have got through. I think if we get to that final game, Ireland might pip us.
“I don’t think anyone will win the Grand Slam – it is England’s to lose but I think Ireland are the threat. Looking at the fixtures, I think it could go down to that final game. With the Irish teams’ form in the Champions Cup, I think they might just do us.
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“All things considered, with the run of fixtures as they are and the injury situations with the respective squads going into the tournament, potentially Ireland might just nick it on points difference – let’s make them feel good about themselves and they might get a bit complacent!”
England's pack putting the hours in ahead of the #NatWest6Nations ?#WearTheRose ? pic.twitter.com/fVg8A8RGxZ
— England Rugby (@EnglandRugby) January 27, 2018
Former centre Greenwood, meanwhile, believes Ireland’s favourable fixture list could prove decisive.
“I have backed Ireland to win it. They have a good run of home games in the middle – Italy, Wales and Scotland – and I expect them to arrive at Twickenham with a good points difference,” he told Omnisport.
“I think England will beat them, but somewhere along the line I can see England falling over. I’m not sure where, on an individual basis I would back England in all of them, I just get this feeling they may slip up somewhere.
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“You analyse all the teams and consider who are the most likely to go to the final round with the best record, I think you’d have to be the most one-eyed Welshman and tartan-wearing Scotsman to say it would be them.
“The fair assumption [going] by those pesky bookmakers, who vary rarely get things wrong, would be that come the final weekend it would tend to be a team in green or white that would lift the trophy.”
Join World Cup 2003 heroes Neil Back, Mike Tindall and Will Greenwood at the award winning Wolf Run obstacle challenge in East Sussex on 28th April. Get your pack together with the buy four get one FREE offer – www.thewolfrun.com.
Comments on RugbyPass
> It would be best described as an elegant solution to what was potentially going to be a significant problem for new All Blacks coach Scott Robertson. It is a problem the mad population of New Zealand will have to cope with more and more as All Blacks are able to continue their careers in NZ post RWCs. It will not be a problem for coaches, who are always going to start a campaign with the captain for the next WC in mind. > Cane, despite his warrior spirit, his undoubted commitment to every team he played for and unforgettable heroics against Ireland in last year’s World Cup quarter-final, was never unanimously admired or respected within New Zealand while he was in the role. Neither was McCaw, he was considered far too passive a captain and then out of form until his last world cup where everyone opinions changed, just like they would have if Cane had won the WC. > It was never easy to see where Cane, or even if, he would fit into Robertson’s squad given the new coach will want to be building a new-look team with 2027 in mind. > Cane will win his selections on merit and come the end of the year, he’ll sign off, he hopes, with 100 caps and maybe even, at last, universal public appreciation for what was a special career. No, he won’t. Those returning from Japan have already earned the right to retain their jersey, it’s in their contract. Cane would have been playing against England if he was ready, and found it very hard to keep his place. Perform, and they keep it however. Very easy to see where Cane could have fit, very hard to see how he could have accomplished it choosing this year as his sabbatical instead of 2025, and that’s how it played out (though I assume we now know what when NZR said they were allowing him to move his sabbatical forward and return to NZ next year, they had actually agreed to simply select him for the All Blacks from overseas, without any chance he was going to play in NZ again). With a mammoth season of 15 All Black games they might as well get some value out of his years contract, though even with him being of equal character to Richie, I don’t think they should guarantee him his 100 caps. That’s not what the All Blacks should be about. He absolutely has to play winning football.
2 Go to commentswhat’s happening to Ian Peel?
1 Go to commentsAs a Crusaders fan , so disappointed , again.But I think Fergus Burke was all class for the Crusaders in his first game since October last year. Fletcher Newell , was so good at prop. Johnny McNicoll has been gold since returning from Wales. Noah Hotham brilliant , in a coming of age second season for the Crusaders.Jone Rova did really well at centre. The end of the game was tough.Sevu Reece , what a game/season in tough times.
1 Go to commentsFellas a balloon
3 Go to commentsBlues B team on display and made no race of it. By far the best team in SR with the Hurricanes barely getting past the winning post. Up the Blues 💙
6 Go to commentsWould be amazing to have Servette Genève reaching this level
3 Go to commentsThe Crusaders can't buy a win this season. Surely Penney's contract won't be renewed. There's still enough talent in the squad that they oughta be winning more.
1 Go to commentsABs captain for 23 seasons. Decent record. Surely nobody will surpass it. Legend. But alas a typo…
2 Go to commentsJust FYI Rugbypass, I for one am tired of your clickbait titles and thumbnails and will be clicking them no longer. Good day.
1 Go to commentsI think Farrell despite all of the stick he gets in the media is still one of if not the best fly half in the world. He is literally the full package. He can kick one of the best in the world, probably has the best defensive game of a fly half in the world and if he wants to he can run, take contact and find an offload to keep the pace of the attack. I dont know why he isnt spoken more about still being one of the best in the world with the likes of dupont. Farrell is the ultimate captain and team leader and is experienced- he has been in nearly any situation you can think of. I still believe due to these reasons that he is England’s best ever player and is still one of the best players in the world.
48 Go to commentsBlues are dominating up front and that’s been a long time coming. They have won the up front confrontation which is where canes, hilanders and act brumbies are also strong.
6 Go to commentsJust watched brumbies v safas game sadly not a show in he’ll thryr anywhere near quarters or semi contention. Admittedly some issues around new comers bot what stands out for me is coaching management, poor game planning and accuracy.
5 Go to commentsOne tough SOB!
16 Go to commentsI’ve put on 4/5 kilos since the beginning of the season too. Not good kilos. Bad kilos.
6 Go to commentsSurely there’s a ‘no knobheads’ policy ?
3 Go to commentsWallaroos have no chance of beating the Black Ferns unless Canada upsets them in Christchurch tomorrow but I doubt that as well!
1 Go to commentsWhat a joke. Could the victim do a course to reverse the long term CTE damage from the cheapshot?
2 Go to commentsTruely great player. In social media and opinion pieces he was held up and flogged for the results. People wanted someone to crucify, and he was the captain. He was still an immense presence respected by his peers. His battles with Siya Kolisi belong up with with Collins vs Burger in my opinion. Unlucky to be carded in the final, but I don’t agree that his red card was the defining moment. Not when you look at the dominant performances of the Springboks (PSDT in particular.) I think Cane should be remembered for the spirit and physicality that is special to test rugby.
16 Go to commentsSam was the man until he got injured .
16 Go to comments_Crusaders versus Leinster _at the moment might be a rout! But I would like to see the Blues play Toulouse, the Hurricanes front up against Stade Francais, and the Chiefs go against Toulon.
157 Go to comments