Out of the Irish frying pan; into the French fire. For a flawed, flailing England, this Six Nations start really could not have been any more unkind. Two of the top four sides in the world back to back would be a demanding beginning for a side high on confidence and form; for this troubled team, it comes as a particularly unpleasant form of rugby torture.
To Twickenham Steve Borthwick’s men return in need of succour to soothe the wounds of the past year. Seven defeats in seven matches against non-Japan opposition have arrived in similar fashion, each time England good but not quite good enough. It has been a brutal run of fixtures since what felt like a breakthrough performance against Ireland in round four of the last Six Nations, and the vice only tightens with this French side in town.
