‘How the tide has turned’ in storied rugby rivalry

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Maybe not this time.

“We haven’t played a game yet,” England back-rower Sam Simmonds said, “but, within the few training sessions that we’ve had, it feels like we’re going in the right direction. There’s a buzz around the squad of excitement and enjoyment.

“The first game against Scotland is huge.”

Boos rang around Twickenham the last time England played there. That was in late November, at the end of the team’s 27-13 pumping by South Africa that spelt the end for Jones and his seven-year tenure.

England’s players might get some more slack from the home fans on Saturday, as Borthwick is unlikely to get a slick performance straight out of the gate as he molds his own team (with eight changes) at the start of a Rugby World Cup year.

A below-par performance might be accepted, even expected. Another loss isn’t.

Scotland will be hit with the combined might of a full house and fired-up opponents eager to impress their new coach — factors that weren’t in play when the Scots won at an empty Twickenham in 2021 during the pandemic.

Two years earlier, there was the epic, breathless 38-38 draw between the old foes. Before that, a string of unbroken, mostly comfortable England wins since the 12-12 draw in 1989.

So Scotland cannot really relax. Not after a largely underwhelming 2022 where the high point was the first game of the year — an attritional home win over the English.

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“We’re in a good place,” said Scotland captain Jamie Ritchie, pointing to the domestic form of Edinburgh and Glasgow and what he saw as an encouraging autumn series featuring victories over Fiji and Argentina.

Then there’s the return of the mercurial Finn Russell at fly-half now that he has patched up his differences with Scotland coach Gregor Townsend.

Russell against Marcus Smith will be a must-watch head-to-head.

Townsend is wary of England, especially as the host might be changing game plans under Borthwick and new attack coach Nick Evans. Whatever it is — and Borthwick criticised England’s lack of adaptability in the autumn — it doesn’t include Manu Tuilagi.

Tuilagi was the icebreaker Eddie Jones embraced when fit. But he and the outside backs struggled to be used while Jones bedded in Smith and Owen Farrell together. Smith and Farrell have survived but Tuilagi has been axed beside Jonny May and Jack Nowell.

London Irish winger Ollie Hassell-Collins will make his England debut, along with Harlequins hooker Jack Walker if he comes off the bench. Prop Dan Cole has been recalled for the first time since the 2019 World Cup final.

Townsend dropped Ali Price for in-form London Irish scrum-half Ben White. Another Lion, centre Chris Harris, has made way for Huw Jones, who has four tries against England. The game was a week too soon for recovering Lions forwards Zander Fagerson and Hamish Watson. Townsend was still bullish.

“Over the last five years we have been a good match for them,” Townsend said, “and I’m sure this will be competitive, too.”

ENGLAND (15-1): Freddie Steward, Max Malins, Joe Marchant, Owen Farrell (c), Ollie Hassell-Collins, Marcus Smith, Jack van Poortvliet, Alex Dombrandt, Ben Curry, Lewis Ludlam, Ollie Chessum, Maro Itoje, Kyle Sinckler, Jamie George, Ellis Genge

Reserves: Jack Walker, Mako Vunipola, Dan Cole, Nick Isiekwe, Ben Earl, Ben Youngs, Ollie Lawrence, Anthony Watson

SCOTLAND: Stuart Hogg, Kyle Steyn, Huw Jones, Sione Tuipulotu, Duhan van der Merwe, Finn Russell, Ben White, Matt Fagerson, Luke Crosbie, Jamie Ritchie (c), Grant Gilchrist, Richie Gray, WP Nel, George Turner, Pierre Schoeman

Reserves: Fraser Brown, Jamie Bhatti, Simon Berghan, Jonny Gray, Jack Dempsey, George Horne, Blair Kinghorn, Chris Harris

Gatland wants focus on rugby as Wales meets top-ranked Irish

For Wales rugby coach Warren Gatland, the Six Nations game against Ireland on Sunday (1.15am AEDT kick-off) cannot come soon enough.

And that’s not just because it marks the start of the New Zealander’s second spell in charge of the national team.

It also means, for many, the focus of Welsh rugby turns to exactly that — rugby.

Gleeson rocks Wales in first start

“Last week, there was only one topic of discussion and that was understandable,” Gatland said, referring to the scandal engulfing the Welsh Rugby Union following allegations of sexism, bullying and racism made in a scathing TV documentary.

“This week, the message to the players is we have a Test match to focus on. Rugby has been the only talking point and the players have been great in terms of that. It has been a bit of a challenge, but our whole focus is on Saturday (local time).”

After all, that’s what he was hired — again — for. To ignite the energy and spark in a Welsh team that appeared to be drifting under his predecessor, Wayne Pivac, less than a year out from the Rugby World Cup in France. Heck, Wales lost to Georgia in November.

With Gatland back, excitement levels have been raised. Belief is back. That’s what happens when you bring in one of the world’s best coaches — perhaps the best of this generation.

“I often get asked about the Welsh and what they are like,” he said. “They are very knowledgeable about the game, passionate and opinionated. And I love that.

“The emotion is all about playing in an incredible stadium, with a passionate crowd and the buzz that you get from that. There is a lot of pressure, a lot of expectation, a lot of scrutiny — that comes with the role — but there is nothing better than playing in a full stadium with the intensity that is required.”

Ireland celebrate rugby history

Watch out, Ireland. A red tide is coming your way.

Then again, this is an Irish team coming off a series win in New Zealand and a clean sweep of autumn victories over South Africa, Fiji and Australia. This is the world’s top-ranked nation, which — whisper it — might just be ready for a tilt at a first World Cup title.

Indeed, for Ireland coach Andy Farrell, savouring the experience of playing in the white-hot atmosphere of the Principality Stadium is important for his players in the bigger picture.

Aki fires Ireland in front

He’s agreed, even though the weather forecast is dry, to close the stadium roof. That guarantees a wall of noise visitors often struggle with, but Farrell wants his players to bank the experience.

“We’ve been there before when it’s closed and there’s no atmosphere like it. It’s fantastic. It can only be good for us,” Farrell said. “We want … to sample the atmosphere and keep progressing on our journey.”

Understandably, Gatland has retained veterans he chided Pivac for not retiring, so there’s new skipper Ken Owens, Alun Wyn Jones in his 17th Six Nations, Justin Tipuric, Taulupe Faletau, Dan Biggar and George North. Leigh Halfpenny was starting until he had a back spasm on Thursday. Liam Williams has come in at fullback despite limited training and match time.

“I would love (Jones) to make the decision when he calls time but he is well aware of the needs of the team at the moment,” Gatland said.

Farrell dropped tighthead prop Tadhg Furlong, who wasn’t fully recovered from a calf issue and was being saved for the France clash next week. Australia-born Finlay Bealham will make his first Six Nations start at the age of 31.

His and captain Jonathan Sexton’s inclusion were the only changes to the side which beat Australia 13-10 in Ireland’s last autumn Test.

WALES (15-1): Liam Williams, Josh Adams, George North, Joe Hawkins, Rio Dyer, Dan Biggar, Tomos Williams, Taulupe Faletau, Justin Tipuric, Jac Morgan, Alun Wyn Jones. Adam Beard, Tomas Francis, Ken Owens (c), Gareth Thomas

Reserves: Scott Baldwin, Rhys Carre, Dillon Lewis, Dafydd Jenkins, Tommy Reffell, Rhys Webb, Owen Williams, Alex Cuthbert

IRELAND (15-1): Hugo Keenan, Mack Hansen, Garry Ringrose, Stuart McCloskey, James Lowe, Jonathan Sexton (c), Jamison Gibson-Park, Caelan Doris, Josh van der Flier, Peter O’Mahony, James Ryan, Tadhg Beirne, Finlay Bealham, Dan Sheehan, Andrew Porter

Reserves: Rob Herring, Cian Healy, Tom O’Toole, Iain Henderson, Jack Conan, Conor Murray, Ross Byrne, Bundee Aki

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