England: Guinness Six Nations' Dark Horse After World Cup Surprise
Of all the teams heading into this year’s Six Nations, England have the most intriguing narrative circulating at the moment.
They got further than any other northern hemisphere nation in the World Cup, against all the odds, and yet there’s still no expectation they’ll win the Six Nations, as France and Ireland are still favoured above them.
With the spotlight off and a quiet confidence brewing in the camp, England could be dark horses for the upcoming competition.
Last time out
Last year’s Six Nations saw Steve Borthwick take the headset as England head coach for the first time. The new beginning brought some erratic results, from a squeaky win over Wales to the hammering by France.
The fourth-place finish at the end of the competition was a fair reflection of England’s run, but it seemed they were riding a landslide when in the Summer Series they struggled for form and discipline.
With the World Cup beckoning, Borthwick’s side look ill-prepared, yet against all the odds they managed to make a run to the semi-finals, carried initially by the drop goals of George Ford and later by the leadership of Owen Farrell.
Had it not been for a late Handrè Pollard penalty, England could have made it to a second successive World Cup final.
Key Player
As Owen Farrell takes a step back from international rugby, space has opened up for a new name to take the reins and steer England at ten.
Many think Marcus Smith is the heir apparent, owing not only to the flair he brings to the role, but also the scintillating form he’s been exhibiting in the Premiership and Champions Cup this season.
The Harlequins talisman has already outdueled his immediate rival George Ford when facing Sale Sharks earlier in the season and has since overseen the demolition jobs of Cardiff and Ulster in European competition.
In all those games, Smith made light work of opposition defences, orchestrating breaks with his trademark step, acceleration and unrivalled vision. His rise to become England’s starting ten has been a long time in the making, but now may be the moment he truly cemented that spot, at a time when numerous other nations are putting faith in more adventurous fly-halves.
Smith has all the skills to match, and even outshine, the likes of Finn Russell, Matthieu Jalibert and Paolo Garbisi.
Potential breakthrough star
A week can be a long time in sports. When Borthwick initially announced his training squad, it seemed Ollie Lawrence was poised to start in the 12 jersey. However, the Bath centre has since been dropped due to injury, opening up a midfield spot for someone to fill, and the man for the job could be Fraser Dingwall.
The Northampton Saints star has been floating around the national squad for some time, first getting a call-up in 2020, but is yet to earn his first cap. With Lawrence and Manu Tuilagi both unavailable, Dingwall is a shoo-in to replace them, powered by the powerful carrying and leadership qualities he has shown for the Saints this season.
And it seems Borthwick thinks very highly of him: “When you watch Northampton, the players turn to him. He’s a key leader within that team. 12 or 13, he’s strong, able to distribute in the draw, he’s been really strong in his carry and defence.”
Toughest fixture
Following the utter humiliation of last year’s tie with France, England will be on red alert this time around. Just under a year ago, the French travelled over to English shores and arrived with the taste of blood in their mouths, unleashing hell in the capital to run out 53-10 victors.
The seven-try hammering was England’s heaviest-ever defeat at Twickenham and, at the time, starkly showed Borthwick’s side was a long way off competing with the big boys.
Their subsequent successful run in the World Cup has revealed they’re better than first thought, yet they’re still expected to lose to France in mid-March.
You need only look at the utter dominance Toulouse and Bordeaux Begles have shown in the Champions Cup to foresee the strength in depth France have, particularly in their backline.
England will need to be operating at full throttle if they are to avoid another humiliation.
Tournament outlook
Despite doing better than any other northern hemisphere nation in the World Cup, no-one truly believed England were the best side. That’s why, heading into this Six Nations, it’s still Ireland and France that are favoured above the rest.
It means expectations for the men in white are rather tempered, especially with team leaders Farrell and Courtney Lawes out of the picture.
The tournament will offer time for new faces to shine, yet there will still be an expectation to deliver on the pitch.
If England can beat a youthful Wales side, a new-look Italy squad, overcome Scotland for the first time in four years and then go toe-to-toe with France and Ireland, you’d think Borthwick would be sufficiently happy with his team's progress. Afterall the goal now is to build a side that can win in the future.
