Serious question: Can England win the Six Nations grand slam this year? To believe it you’ve first got to seriously back Steve Borthwick’s side not to be complete and utter nonsense, and then you’ve also got to have faith that England and their players can actually play a brand of rugby to wound lethal opponents.
The last time fans got to see England in action was in the Autumn Nations Series when, despite leading at the 60-minute mark in three matches, Borthwick’s side managed to lose to each of New Zealand, Australia and South Africa.
But there were signs of positivity last year, including a stunning win over Ireland at Twickenham courtesy of a last-minute Marcus Smith drop-goal.
And it is their neighbours from across the Irish Sea they take on in round one, this time in Dublin.
England have not beaten the Irish in Ireland since 2019, when a 32-20 scoreline had no impact on Wales securing a Grand Slam.
And of the seven Six Nations titles England have won, only once has their victorious campaign seen the away side win between these two teams – Sir Clive Woodward led his team to a 42-6 victory at Lansdowne Road in 2003 ahead of England’s World Cup triumph. England’s only other 21st century slam saw a victory against Ireland in London in 2016.
Six Nations about tight margins
The point is this: winning in Ireland is bloody difficult at the best of times, let alone when the four provinces are on form. But if last autumn taught us something it was that there are frailties in the team from the Emerald Isle.
This year they’re without head coach Andy Farrell for the Six Nations due to his secondment with the British and Irish Lions, and this weekend the likes of stupendous prop Tadhg Furlong will be on the sidelines. The opportunity is there.
If England can be ruthless, and use their conditioned 6-2 bench split – where the eight substitutions are comprised of six forwards and just two backs – they have a chance of upsetting the apple cart and getting a rare away win in Ireland.
Let’s play a little game and imagine for one second that England can do it, no matter how difficult that may be in the Six Nations.
They would then have three consecutive home games – against France, Scotland and Italy – in what is a pretty brilliant stroke of scheduling luck.
The decider in Cardiff?
Last time Les Bleus came to London they inflicted a humiliating defeat on Borthwick’s side, and Scotland won the last Calcutta Cup fixture on Twickenham – now Allianz Stadium – soil.
But the feeling in camp after a victory in Ireland, combined with some French complacency due to their expected demolition of Wales on Friday night in the Six Nations opener, suddenly gives England hope.
The three toughest teams in the opening three weeks, facing the fiercest away from home in a potential bogey game, for Ireland, before two home matches against strong opposition, could leave England top of the pile post the midway point.
Then a home fixture, despite their resurgence, against Italy should be a given. That, then, would leave a trip down the M4 to Cardiff for what could be a Grand Slam decider.
England’s neighbours from across the Severn will be keen to spoil the party if that’s the case, but the visitors can dream.
A Grand Slam is not out of the question for England, but it hinges on 80 minutes in Dublin on Saturday evening. It’s victory or bust.