Mitchell: We expect a war
ENGLAND’S rugby stars have been told there is a “war” that must be won if they are to emerge from the Six Nations with Lions credentials intact.
Warren Gatland has chosen not to be in Paris, where Wales can this evening win a fifth Grand Slam in 16 years.
Instead the Lions head coach will be at the Aviva Stadium on his final Six Nations scouting mission. Up until a week ago, England’sWorld Cup finalists were doing a decent job of playing themselves out of the British and Irish squad for this summer’s proposed tour.
Victory over France breathed new life into their hopes and, if they can back it up against Ireland, the horrors of Cardiff and the Calcutta Cup can be forgotten.
But failure to do so would leave England staring at their secondworst campaign in Six Nations history. “We are under no illusions as to what to expect,” said defence coach John Mitchell. “Ireland are a tenacious side and a tenacious country .They fight bloody hard for each other.
“They’ll rip in, there’s no doubt about that. It’s going to be a war at the breakdown. But we’re ready for all that.” Gatland will pay special attention to the clash of the 10s, where George Ford will attempt to eclipse Johnny Sexton and make a case for Lions inclusion.
IRELAND: Keenan; Earls, Henshaw, Aki, Stockdale; Sexton (capt), Murray; Kilcoyne, Herring, Furlong, Henderson, Beirne, Stander, Van der Flier, Conan.
Replacements: Kelleher, Healy, Porter, Baird, O’Mahony, Gibson-Park, Burns, Larmour.
ENGLAND: Malins; Watson, Daly, Farrell (capt), May; Ford, Youngs; M Vunipola, Cowan-Dickie, Sinckler, Itoje, Ewels, Wilson, Curry, B Vunipola.
Replacements: George, Genge, Stuart, Hill, Earl, Robson, Lawrence, Marchant.