Ireland were not bad – England forced them into mistakes
England’s best performance since 2019 World Cup was built on a powerful carrying game rather than kicking from deep
England’s best performance since 2019 World Cup was built on a powerful carrying game rather than kicking from deep
Steve Borthwick is right to prioritise defence, but not to exclusion of work on attack – especially when they have regressed on that front
There is no easy remedy for England's inexplicable handling errors while ball-carrying remains absent from their attacking game
Murrayfield visit will be the acid test for Borthwick and his players after an indifferent start to the Six Nations
Scotland game will show whether there has been any genuine improvement under head coach in this Six Nations
If Steve Borthwick’s men play against Ireland or France like they did against Italy, there will be little or no chance of salvation
Borthwick needs solid set-pieces and players who can perform on instinct, pointing to fresh talent such as Feyi-Waboso and Cunningham-South
An opening match against Italy gives Steve Borthwick a chance to establish a kicking strategy, centre partnership and speedy forward game
Congested calendar, complex laws and falling participation are some of the mounting problems that leave rugby with little room to manoeuvre
Loss of funding to union will likely result in non-international players having crucial services cut
Tweaks to 50:22 law, and a willingness for referees to apply existing laws about kicking the ball away from a ruck, could transform rugby
Blazing club form adds credence to calls for return to the England No 10 shirt – but Quins' fly-half must be put in the situation to succeed
Staying in France under Stuart Lancaster could be just what the England back needs, but he should avoid becoming a ‘jack-of-all-trades’
The polarisation, agenda-pushing and misinformation that is creeping into this issue is not helpful and needs to stop
As a professional sportsman, criticism should be expected, but also a degree of decency – which is often sorely lacking
Exeter coach's idea to improve rugby's spectacle is doomed to fail unless sides also abandon rigid, kick-based game plans
The lock's career at Saracens is in doubt after he was asked to take a 50 per cent pay cut
It is hard to accuse the controversial former England coach of disloyalty for quitting Australia if you had been demanding that he be sacked
Head coach had a free hit last year after being parachuted in late but must show the progress made at the World Cup continues in February
Instead of complaining about a referee's decisions, fans should question why players make little attempt to lower their tackle height
Steve Borthwick's side lost their winning position against South Africa due to a scrum weakness that can be traced back to 2019 final
England's plan is to take points whenever they are on offer and Marcus Smith's opportunistic outlook plays into that tactic
Of the seeded teams in the bottom half, only Wales can legitimately claim they have performed close to their best, albeit sporadically
Secondary tournament would give lower-ranked teams something tangible to play for, grow the game and help reduce the lull between matches
Choosing the playmaker could be the gamble that might just provide a solution when facing the top two teams in the World Cup
Those behind cynical letter citing ‘insufficient leadership’ on eve of World Cup should have the balls to put their own case to a vote
Playmaker’s introduction against Japan injected ambition and verve into team – Steve Borthwick should give him more than five minutes
Whether intentional or not, the grave risk associated with head-to-head contacts like Tom Curry's is what counts
The French authorities are lucky that nobody was hurt in the unpleasant scramble to get into the stadium and find a seat
Players must put away the childish notion that their supporters wish them ill; all they want is evidence of some coherence in their strategy
It is time for some brutal honesty between players and coaches because without sharp improvement, Steve Borthwick's job will be on the line
After chastening loss to Ireland, Argentina will fancy their chances in World Cup opener, setting up ‘knockout’ clashes with Japan and Samoa