English Six Nations hopes rest on being heat-resistant

Out of the Irish frying pan; into the French fire. For a flawed, flailing England, this Six Nations start really could not have been any more unkind.

- HARRY LATHAM-COYLE

Two of the top four sides in the world back to back would be a demanding beginning for a side high on confidence and form; for this troubled team, it comes as a particularly unpleasant form of rugby torture.

To Twickenham Steve Borthwick’s men return this afternoon in need of succour to soothe the wounds of the past year. Seven defeats in seven matches against non-Japan opposition have arrived in similar fashion, each time England good but not quite good enough. It has been a brutal run of fixtures since what felt like a breakthrough performance against Ireland in round four of the last Six Nations, and the vice only tightens with this French side in town.

“Are you sleeping well?” a French journalist asked Borthwick at his squad announcement – considering the circumstances, it was a strange but perhaps not unwarranted question. The as-yetunfulfilled potential his side clearly possesses will no doubt weigh heavy on the England head coach’s mind.

“There is always expectation,” Borthwick conceded. “Any of the main English sports, there is expectation to win – cricket, football, rugby – there is expectation and when you take the job you expect that expectation. I would rather be involved with a team that has expectation than one that doesn’t.

“We are in a period now where we have got a team that is growing and growing fast. We are consistently playing against the best sides in the world. We have played against Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, France – so we are being tested every single week. And we have come up short, we know that. The players are going onto the pitch trying to bring their very best game.”