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Borthwick's gamble and 4 other Ireland vs England talking points
By PA
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.
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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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…