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Borthwick's gamble and 4 other Ireland vs England talking points

By PA
Tom Curry (right) with Steve Borthwick at Rugby World Cup 2023 (Photo by Paul Harding/Getty Images)

Ireland and England clash at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday in a seismic opener that will set the tone for both teams’ Six Nations campaign.

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Here the PA news agency looks at five talking points heading into the match.

The pressure is on
Hot on the heels of an unsuccessful autumn, Steve Borthwick is confronted with a trio of fixtures that could imperil his position as England head coach. Tournament favourites Ireland open their campaign in Dublin before fixtures against France and Scotland take place at Allianz Stadium – hardly the ideal opponents when seeking a revival after losing seven of 12 Tests in 2024. It is a brutal start to the Six Nations and Ireland will be gunning for revenge after falling 23-22 at Twickenham a year ago. Borthwick needs an upset to reduce the chatter over his future.

High-risk, high reward
By selecting the Curry twins ether side of Ben Earl in a highly mobile back row, it is hoped that Ireland can be out-worked and outmanoeuvred. Fielding a trio of traditional opensides is a gamble that could backfire on England because it means there is no big physical presence and line-out jumper at six or eight, but with all three players accomplished operators at the breakdown, a strength of Ireland’s game could be taken away from them. Regardless of whether the experiment succeeds, it will be a day of personal triumph for Tom and Ben Curry, who will realise their dream of starting in the same England team together.

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Mighty Maro
An indication of the pressure Borthwick is under can be seen in the change of captain, with Maro Itoje leading the side for the first time. Itoje replaces his Saracens team-mate Jamie George, who misses the opening two rounds of the Six Nations because of a hamstring injury, and it will be hoped that his promotion will freshen up England’s leadership. As one of the first names on the team sheet and one of the few world-class players in the squad, the Lions second-row has the credentials needed to make a success of the role.

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Advantage Prendergast
Sam Prendergast versus Jack Crowley is the most intriguing selection duel in Irish rugby – and for the moment Prendergast has the edge. The Leinster 21-year-old is retained at fly-half after making his debut as a replacement against Argentina in the autumn and then starting the wins against Fiji and Australia. Crowley appeared to be the heir apparent to Johnny Sexton having been chief conductor throughout the 2024 championship and summer tour to South Africa but his prowess in defence is currently deemed less valuable than his rival’s busier attacking game, even if there is little to choose between the two on either count.

Ireland’s to lose
No team has won three successive titles in the Six Nations era, presenting Ireland with the opportunity to make championship history. Expect revenge to be taken on Saturday for last year’s defeat at Twickenham and once a banana-skin trip to Edinburgh on February 9 has been negotiated, all eyes will turn to their March 8 appointment with France. Crucially, the pivotal fixture in the tournament is being staged at the Aviva Stadium and even after an unsatisfying autumn by their own standards, Ireland look ready to justify their position as favourites.

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Comments

1 Comment
B
Bull Shark 28 days ago

I can see what England might be doing with that back row.


I think the breakdowns are going to be messy. With all the Irish bodies laying about all over the place and not one but two kants to keep an eye on…

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R
RedWarriors 13 minutes ago
The Springbok selection experiment is far from over

SA and NZ were the main countries “Whining” about the draw that put SA/NZ/IRE/FRA all on the same side of the draw. Ireland, France and Scotland are well used to it. Most countries have come face to face with the biased draw and scheduling many times since the RWC was inaugurated in 1987.

Everyone agreed the draw was a farce , but yes someone had to pox their way through and that was SA. You get to play a France team in the QF before they have a knock out win under their belt. You won as the inferior team, the world saw that. If the draw had been harder for SA and you were scheduled to play Scotland the week before then you were out.

England were stronger for most of the match with a 9 point lead with 10 to go. They will be massively disapointed to lose from there especially with the non peanalty awarded at the end.

Lastly, you needed a red card to beat NZ. 100%. Not in doubt. It was a 1 point game. You were losing without the red.

SA beat what was in front of them. Not in doubt. That they were lucky is not in doubt either. That the draw made the win significantly easier for SA to get past the QF, is not in doubt either. You play France in the SF or final, you are losing badly.

So well done on teh wins. But less stop with the ‘Are SA the greatest team in history” rubbish.

‘Butt hurt’? Thats an Americanism to imply homosexuality? On about raping women now lobbing homophobic comments. Some of you Saffers, past and present have a very very disturbing attitude…historically and present day.

54 Go to comments
N
NB 2 hours ago
Have England suddenly become a 'lucky' team?

I think you need to look at some examples in order to get your facts straight.


If you look at the second gif in the article https://imgur.com/a/6QNcVtB#NG27wFf , you can see that Scotland are running the shape I describe, and the ‘flat option’ does not actively impede a tackler so has no need to retreat.


Ditto this one https://imgur.com/a/hNktXel#gbQSsT4 . There is no significant contact with a defender by the flat option, so why does it need to [over-]refereed?


I feel you’re trying to address an issue that exists mostly in your own imagination, not one that exists out on the field of play.

83 Go to comments
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