Owen Farrell has tried to light a fire under the Steve Borthwick era by telling his England team-mates they can still upset the odds by claiming Six Nations glory.
Borthwick lost his first game in charge, against Scotland at Twickenham last Saturday, as England suffered their fourth straight defeat in the opening round.
The Red Rose are now rated 22-1 fourth favourites by the bookmakers to secure the Six Nations title, with Ireland, France and Scotland all more fancied. But captain Farrell will end preparations for Sunday’s Twickenham clash by telling his team-mates they can invoke the spirit of 2020 — when England lost their opener in France but went on to claim the Six Nations crown.
“The Six Nations is not decided on the first weekend,” said Farrell. “Momentum’s massive in the Six Nations; you see some of the results teams get off the back of winning and getting used to winning.
“Everyone is talking about the last couple of years, where the first weekend determines much of what happens next. But we lost the first game in 2020, then we went on to win it, so it can happen.
“We’ve got to focus on what we can improve. We’re right at the start of what we’re doing. We’ve got to keep our energy and enthusiasm high and keep pressing that into what’s next.”
Farrell also sounded a warning to rivals Ireland and France, both of whom claimed wins on the opening weekend.
The Saracens and England playmaker pointed to England’s botched Grand Slam attempt in 2013 as a cautionary tale of just how a strong start and all the momentum in the world can be undone.
Farrell was one of the main protagonists as Stuart Lancaster’s England pitched up in Cardiff hunting a clean sweep, only to be sent packing with a comprehensive 30-3 defeat.
“I have seen it the other way as well, in 2013,” said Farrell. “We were flying all the way through the Six Nations, then you go down to Wales trying for a Grand Slam and you get beaten like that.”
London Irish starlet Henry Arundell will make his fourth Test appearance in Sunday’s clash, with the 20-year-old whisked straight back into England’s ranks after just 30 minutes’ club rugby following a foot problem which had kept him sidelined since October.
Defence coach Kevin Sinfield is just the latest to add appreciative words to a natural-born finisher, who Farrell cautiously likened to cross-code great Jason Robinson.
“We’ll get an indication of his quality over the coming weeks, but I have been mightily impressed by how he’s gone about his business,” said Sinfield. “We’ve got a real talent on our hands. Hopefully, he can be a nightmare for opposition defence coaches.”
