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Six Nations 2017 Preview: England Chase History

By James Harrington
Ben Youngs

As the countdown to the Six Nations enters its final days, James Harrington takes a closer look at each of the teams, starting with England, who are chasing what would be back-to-back titles for the first time in 16 years.

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What to look out for
More of the same following an unbeaten 2016. But with a little added extra. Coach Eddie Jones is big on ‘evolution’. The first stage was changing the mindsets of the players following a dismal World Cup in 2015. That resulted in that 13-match winning run last year. This Six Nations marks the beginning of stage two in Jones’s four-year plan to the 2019 World Cup.

Strengths
Leaders. There are leaders almost everywhere you look on pitch when England take to the field these days. They are so many that Dylan Hartley, who has retained the captaincy despite recently adding to his disciplinary lay-off time, is arguably the luckiest player in the squad. Jones has said he wants 10 on-pitch leaders by the 2019 World Cup. He’s not there yet, but England are clearly well on the way.

Weaknesses
That injury list. No Vunipola brothers. No Chris Robshaw, who has been rejuvenated since giving up the captaincy (no doubt, with something approaching a sigh of relief). No Anthony Watson for the first couple of matches. How England cope with the loss of key big-game players will dictate their tournament.

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The Man in Charge
Eddie Jones is riding a wave. But he is not getting carried away – and has already said his tenure as England coach will end after the 2019 World Cup. Right now, he is playing a canny pre-tournament media game, voicing his concern over the number of squad members in the infirmary to anyone who’ll listen, and taking the pressure off his squad. While everyone’s focused on what he’s saying (and how he got that black eye) they are doing what they need to do away from scrutiny.

Player To Watch
Alex Lozowski. When Eddie Jones starts enthusing about players the way he has about the 23-year-old son of former Wasps and England centre Rob, the rugby world should sit up and take notice. The coach, who once gave flanker Tom Wood a very public kick up the proverbial by describing him as a ‘distinctly average’ player, said Lozowski – a Wasp like his dad – is “THE find of the Premiership”, who will become “a bloody useful player.” It is generally safe to say that fly-halves are to tackling what starfish are to mountaineering – but the relatively slight Lozowski is a Jonny Wilkinson-style juggernaut in the tackle. And he can play at 12 or 15, too.

This Season’s Big Match
Ireland away on the final day of the tournament has to be the most eagerly awaited match of England’s campaign this Six Nations season. But Jones has already warned against complacency. England cannot afford to get caught cold in the opening game against an apparently rejuvenated France at Twickenham. And Wales in Cardiff could be tricky, too, especially if the roof is closed.

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Prediction
First. England are tournament favourites for a reason. Even with that injury list – and despite Jones’s apparent concern about it in front of the press – they have the strength in depth to win their second Six Nations in a row. Whether they claim a second Grand Slam and break New Zealand’s winning-streak, however, is another question entirely.

Squad
Forwards: Nathan Catt, Jack Clifford, Dan Cole, Charlie Ewels, Ellis Genge, Jamie George, Teimana Harrison, Dylan Hartley, James Haskell, Nathan Hughes, Maro Itoje, George Kruis, Joe Launchbury, Courtney Lawes, Joe Marler, Matt Mullan, Kyle Sinckler, Tommy Taylor, Mike Williams, Tom Wood.
Backs: Mike Brown, Danny Care, Elliot Daly, Owen Farrell, George Ford, Jonathan Joseph, Alex Lozowski, Jonny May, Jack Nowell, Henry Slade, Ben Te’o, Anthony Watson, Marland Yarde, Ben Youngs.

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Bull Shark 2 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

Of the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.

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