Time to be brave and start with Pollock at 7

ARE England fit for purpose going into the Six Nations? Steve Borthwick listed a lack of fitness as one expla--nation for England's serial final quarter slumps in the autumn, and the big issue going into their Dublin opener against reigning champions Ireland is whether anything has changed.

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The regular hammerings dished out to the Premiership contingent in the European Cup pool stage - in which top of the table Bath and second-placed Bristol failed to make the Round of 16-suggests strongly that there is no way that Phil Morrow, England's new S&C coach, is going to be able to wave a magic wand over a few days training in Girona.

Morrow's track record with Saracens during their European and Premiership glory years was impressive, including transforming Will Skelton's career by helping the huge Aussie lock to become a leaner, more mobile model, and by regulating the taro consumption of the heavyweight Vunipolas to keep them on the straight and narrow.

However, bridging the gap in conditioning and mental sharpness - especially in defence-between England players who have become softened by the Premiership's "you score, we score more" culture, and their Irish and French counterparts, might not be a quick fix.

Optional tackling does not breed Test match fitness, and it might explain why scramble defence - which is so highly prized by South Africa and New Zealand - appears to have gone AWOL in Premiership matches.