England Six Nations Preview

Tournament Background/Pedigree – Despite reaching the last two World Cup finals, England have failed to win the Six Nations since 2003.

Indeed since their all conquering year seven seasons ago they have been in a continual limbo, and unable to shake off the successes of the Woodwood-era and create another world beating team to move forward with.

This time around England are far from tournament favourites, especially with three of their matches away from Twickenham.

In 107 editions of the tournament – beginning in 1883 with just the Home Nations – England have been the most successful side winning 25 which has included 12 Grand Slams and 23 Triple Crowns.

Key Man – Jonny Wilkinson: The hero of 2003 is a rejuvenated player after his summer switch to French Top 14 side Toulon.

He has been plagued with injuries since dropping the winning goal in Sydney, but so far this season he has managed to stay on the pitch and kicked his goals.

In the Autumn he played far too deep. Whether this was under international management’s orders this is not how he has been playing for his club, and England’s backline lacked penetration as a result.

He is still one of England’s few genuine ‘world class’ players and his country have won 54 of the 73 games he has featured in.

He still strikes fear into opponents not only due to the potency of his boot, but when ticking and fully fit, his attacking play and tackling is devastating.
 

One for the future – Dan Cole: Although only selected in the England Saxon’s squad initially, the Leicester loose head has already been called up to the full squad due to injury, with David Wilson the only other specialist number one in the squad

At just 22-years old he has shown fantastic form for Leicester, with the prop’s seminal game during his club’s 34-8 victory over Wasps at Welford Road. He dominated current England tight-head Tim Payne at scrum time, winning numerous penalties, and showed his fitness with a last ditch try saving tackle against the same opponent.  
 

Manager/Coach – Martin Johnson has had a baptism of fire over the last 18-months, taking the Head Coach role of England as his first coaching position. The lack of experience is supposedly remedied by the coaching set up he has implemented around him – though this has received criticism from many quarters.

Equally the 2003 World Cup winning captain has been accused of favouring those he played alongside seven years ago and players from his old club Leicester.

Particularly in his own position, the second row combination of Steve Bothwick and Louis Deacon – the former as captain – has generated widespread condemnation. Simon Shaw will certainly start if fit, while Northampton’s young upstart Courtney Lawes has also been receiving a lot of popular attention.

The 20-year old has shown dynamism and passion in the Guinness Premiership this season, and Nick Kennedy – currently in the England Saxons squad – continues to show brilliance at the line-out and is unfortunate to miss out on the full squad.

Johnson’s management has been overly conservative, and only time will tell if he allows the free-flowing footballers in the squad such as Ben Foden, Riki Flutey and Matt Tait to demonstrate their running rugby abilities.
 

Why They Will Win It – England will always provide competition up front – Lewis Moody will disrupt the opposition’s access to quick ball and be a constant nuisance to opposition half-backs. Strong back row running will allow quick ball for Danny Care to feed Wilkinson, flat on the gain-line to unleash the side’s undoubted attacking potential.

Why They Won’t Win It – The unimaginative, static and sterile form shown in the Autumn will continue into 2010. Johnson will not have the confidence to give some of the unproven though certainly more daring options he has at his disposal a run, resulting on an over reliance on an injury prone Wilkinson’s boot.

Prediction – There are truly two ways the 2010 Six Nations could go for England. Option one – perhaps the most likely – will see continued conservatism from the management and flat performances across the board, with the team ending up towards the foot of the table.

Or secondly, Johnson puts faith in some of the younger flair players the fans are calling for with a view to the 2011 World Cup. This will still not see them win the competition but will create a much more positive atmosphere around English rugby.

If they were a celebrity they would be... – Tom Cruise: Confident with a whiff or arrogance, they feel they deserve to be eating at the top table but all too often uninspiring and come up short.