This is the perfect time to face Ireland and England can win in Dublin - Andy Goode
Ireland are heavy favourites with the bookies but I’ve just got a feeling England will go to Dublin and sneak a win this weekend.
Losing in their own back yard in the final round of last year’s Six Nations and watching this group of Ireland players celebrate winning a Grand Slam, after England had their own Grand Slam party ruined by the Irish a year earlier, will have really hurt some of these senior players and they have a point to prove.
It’s a bold call to predict an England victory, given Ireland are yet to lose at home in the Six Nations under Joe Schmidt, but I just think there is enough evidence to suggest that the scales could be slightly tipped in England’s favour.
I like the look of the team Eddie Jones has selected and it’s great to see that he’s stuck with his leading man in Owen Farrell in his proper position and selected the best two centres available outside him.
We’re still highly likely to see George Ford and Farrell on the pitch together at some point but it would have been a backward step to revert to that axis. It’s also great to see Manu Tuilagi back and starting in the Six Nations for the first time for six years.
He’s strung together a lot of games for Leicester now injury-free and, while international rugby and a trip to Dublin is a massive step up, he’s the kind of box office player who can make any stadium rock and England will be hoping he’s finally ready to take that next step on Saturday.
I’m surprised Jones didn’t go back to Mike Brown at full back just for this game because of his ability to deal with the aerial bombardment that is sure to come England’s way and it’ll sound strange to a lot of people because of his form in attack in an England shirt but I wouldn’t have picked Jonny May.
He’s got phenomenal speed and athleticism but has been found wanting positionally of late, especially for Leicester against Ulster, and the likes of Johnny Sexton and Conor Murray will be ready to pounce on any little area of weakness.
Ireland have their own issue in the back three and, whilst Jordan Larmour would have been the automatic selection at full back in Rob Kearney’s absence, I think Schmidt has opted to get what he sees as his best players on the field.
Picking Robbie Henshaw at full back for the first time since his debut in 2013 allows him to get both Bundee Aki and Garry Ringrose in the team as well at centre and Henshaw is such a talented player that I don’t think it’ll affect them too much.
Having both Mako and Billy Vunipola in the team makes such a difference to England and if they can make the most of their power, combined with Tuilagi’s ball-carrying as well, it could give England an edge.
Mako and Kyle Sinckler offer a lot in the loose but there’s no doubt they’ll be targeted at scrum time because that has been far from an area of strength for both of them in the past. Both have been guilty of conceding penalties at the set piece and that’s something England can ill afford to do at the Aviva Stadium.
Ireland beat the All Blacks there and conceded just five penalties in the process and discipline has been one of the hallmarks of their recent success, whereas England were the most ill-disciplined team in last year’s Six Nations.
Having said that, though, with Jerome Garces in charge it’s difficult to predict how things will pan out because the breakdown will be a hugely pivotal area and there won’t be as much communication as the players on both sides are used to.
You can argue the case for both teams and clearly Ireland are favourites because they’re at home and are on a phenomenal run of form at present but I just think it’s the perfect time to play them.
They generally improve significantly as the Six Nations goes on and last year was a case in point as they needed a monster drop goal from Johnny Sexton with the last kick of the match to beat France in Round 1, so I just think England could take advantage of any slow start they might have.
John Mitchell added a bit of spice earlier in the week by saying that Ireland would try to “bore the s**t” out of England and, while that is a dig at their style of play, I don’t think it was premeditated and it isn’t anything that hasn’t been directed at Ireland before by other people.
There’s no way it’ll have any effect on how Ireland approach the game and at the end of the day… do you want to support a team that plays pragmatically and wins a Grand Slam or one that tries to play amazing rugby from everywhere and loses?
There’s a World Cup at the end of this year and I can’t remember too many teams winning World Cup finals playing really extravagant rugby. They are normally dogged affairs that are won by teams that are pragmatic and manage the situation better than the opposition.
Ireland have proven to be masters at that over the course of the past year or so and Joe Schmidt has been head and shoulders above his rivals in that respect as well.
It’s not too long ago that Eddie Jones was outcoaching everyone left, right and centre when England were on their way to a world record-equalling 18 wins in a row but that hasn’t been the case for the past 18 months.
We know Schmidt goes to the nth degree with his preparation and will have a few things up his sleeve but let’s hope Eddie’s had a good Christmas, got his mojo back and come up with a few fresh ideas of his own. If he has, I reckon England can get back on the Six Nations horse on Saturday and start this World Cup year with a bang.
Comments on RugbyPass
Always reluctant to blame a coach when losses rack up, but Penney must go. The backline is dysfunctional and the coach must carry the can. No cohesion, no idea and in many cases, minimal skill. The trains out of Roma St depart faster than the ball from Crusaders’ set pieces. Wouldn’t be surprised if the forwards went on strike.
1 Go to commentsAdding to earlier comment. Cullen Grace has been playing great at no6. Lio-Willie , who was on fire a few weeks ago, had a bad game. I think Cullen should have been moved to 8 earlier, Dominic Gardiner on earlier. Feel for Quinten Strange , put in a big shift .
4 Go to commentsWe dominated the scrums Ben Curry was all over pitch again .Surely James Harper got to be one of best English tightheads
1 Go to commentsRoos is a better option at 6 than 8 for the boks. Needs to work on his windgat though.
1 Go to commentsThe Sharks’ 2nd team maybe?
1 Go to comments‘radical’
1 Go to commentsCome back to Christchurch Robbie, please!
1 Go to commentsI think there is zero chance Sam Cane will be selected for another Test. There is simply no point except sentimentality. Razor is not sentimental- ask Wyatt Crocket. Razor is a ruthless selector
4 Go to comments> 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.
4 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.
4 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 💙
7 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…
4 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.
7 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 comments