Six Nations discussion points: England faces a pivotal moment, Ireland makes a return

The Six Nations fallow week has arrived, and for certain teams, it could not have come at a better time.

France is leading the tournament with three victories from three matches, keeping their grand slam aspirations very much alive.

England is one team that will appreciate the break as they aim to regroup after consecutive losses to Scotland and Ireland.

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Here are the key discussion points following the third round of matches.

This must be a crucial moment for England

There are instances in a World Cup cycle where a definitive line is drawn, and now is that moment for England.

In their defeats to Scotland and Wales, they have missed 53 tackles. There has been subpar decision-making throughout the field and confusion in defense. They have been outperformed at the breakdown, and the lineout has faltered. While they can reach the opponent’s 22, their points-conversion rate ranks fourth in the championship.

At the beginning of the Six Nations, they were considered alongside France as favorites for the title. They had achieved 11 consecutive victories and were playing with great confidence. They easily defeated Wales and traveled north to Edinburgh seeking their first win on Scottish soil since 2020.

Scotland outplayed them, and a week later, Ireland delivered a similar performance to secure a record victory at Twickenham. Suddenly, there were doubts regarding selections in nearly every position.

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In the past two weeks, Steve Borthwick will have gained significant insights about his team. He emphasizes the need to maintain emotional stability—avoiding excessive elation when things are going well or succumbing to despair when momentum shifts against them.

However, these two matches will provide him with the clearest indication yet of which players he can rely on moving forward and which ones may be sidelined. With Italy next on their schedule, England cannot afford another sluggish start.

“We need to address the issues. It’s clearly not acceptable, and in the first 15-20 minutes of a Test match, you want to at least establish a foothold in the game,” George Ford remarked afterward regarding their struggles in the opening quarter.

“When you experience results like this, it’s time to confront it directly and ensure we find proper solutions that allow us to grow from it,” – Hamilton.

Speculation about Ireland’s decline was premature

If you seek a glimpse into why Ireland overwhelmed England, look no further than the 72nd minute, after Ireland had amassed their 42-point total.

England’s Marcus Smith intercepted a loose pass from Jack Crowley just inside his own half and dashed away from the pursuing Irish defense. Enter Stuart McCloskey. The Ulsterman had already exerted himself, yet he charged through to tackle Smith just meters from the Irish try line.

The match was already decided, with Ireland as the winners, but there remained urgency and determination. Andy Farrell responded by expressing his approval, celebrating in the air above the shattered Twickenham crowd.

Ireland began this championship with a harsh defeat against France, after which Farrell questioned his team’s intent.

A week later, they narrowly defeated Italy despite a struggling scrum. They arrived at Twickenham facing questions: Are they too old? Do they possess sufficient depth? Is this the beginning of Ireland’s decline? The answers to those questions are now clear. Ireland performed masterfully, their British & Irish Lions players stepped up, and while Jamison Gibson-Park was named player of the match for an exceptional display, McCloskey could have easily received the honor.

For a long time, McCloskey was overlooked, watching as Bundee Aki, Garry Ringrose, and Robbie Henshaw dominated the center positions… But that is no longer the case.

McCloskey has proven himself, and at Twickenham, Ireland demonstrated why they remain a formidable team, capable of achieving record victories on English soil. Farrell insists his squad will peak at next year’s World Cup, but for now, they have a Triple Crown to pursue.

With Wales and Scotland upcoming in Dublin, they still have an outside chance at the title if Scotland or England can assist them against France – Hamilton.

France should secure the slam, but be cautious of unpredictable Scots

It still seems that France has yet to shift into high gear this year, with commanding, comfortable victories over Ireland, Wales, and Italy. They were anticipated to easily overcome the latter two, and the manner in which they dismantled Ireland was itself a statement. Having made an almost flawless start to their title defense, France’s goal must be to achieve the slam this year.

This “golden generation” requires another title and grand slam to fulfill the expectations placed upon them, and they will recognize this as an incredible opportunity. With no significant injuries (knock on wood) and their stars in peak form, the fallow week comes at an opportune moment for them to regroup before one final push.

However, the most significant challenge may arise in Edinburgh against a highly unpredictable Scotland team. After overwhelming England, they had to stage a remarkable comeback against struggling Wales in Cardiff, and without Finn Russell, they could have faced an embarrassing defeat.

Yet, if there is one thing Gregor Townsend’s team is capable of, it is rallying for a significant upset with an impressive performance seemingly out of nowhere. They will be expected to compete at Murrayfield, but in truth, no one can confidently predict which Scotland team will appear.

This uncertainty poses a daunting prospect for Les Bleus and their grand slam ambitions – Regan.