>> Ford and Farrell are piping hot again
The definition of a gentleman is famously somebody who can play the bagpipes but doesn’t. Mark Twain in case you were wondering. In which case Twickenham was unusually packed with gentlemen last night.
Scottish fans, so optimistic and noisy before the kick-off, had been stunned into a shocked silence come the final whistle. Bagpipes were lowered apologetically and carried as unobtrusively as possible – which is not very – as they sought refuge in the nearest bar. A 61-21 thumping was never part of the script.
Well, no, but there was always a chance Scotland might get unlucky and encounter England on an afternoon when the force was them. You could smell the barbecues all the way down the A316 on a perfect spring day but the strongest odour of all was the sniff of a big England performance just around the corner.
England just have too many good players and too much strength in depth to remain ordinary for too long. And so far in this tournament they had been ordinary.
They were narked yesterday and razor sharp right from the off as they racked up 30 points in the first half. It was the first time they have led at half-time in this year’s Six Nations. From famine to feast.
Let’s be honest, Italy made England look a tad silly and dimwitted two weeks ago and people started questioning their rugby intelligence, a preposterous accusation really for a side that yesterday equalled the world record of 18 consecutive Test wins.
The rugby world rather enjoyed their embarrassment and while some guffawed away England seethed and decided it was high time to put some stick about. The first half that unfolded was, I believe, the first time we have really been treated to the glimpse of what England might achieve, the true potential of this team.
Play like that for 80 minutes and they will be unstoppable.
It’s the first time they have really hit their straps this season and they will probably need to find one more gear yet to account for a pumped-up Ireland in Dublin on Saturday when they could not only close out a second Grand Slam but break that world record mark.
The key, as it usually is with England’s best performances in the last 15 months, was the sublime and complementary combination of George Ford and Owen Farrell at 10 and 12.
Jonathan Joseph’s eyecatching hat-trick took the MoM honours but it must have been a close-run thing.
You still have to remind yourself that this option was available throughout the World Cup and wonder why on earth England opted for Sam Burgess at 12, a selection grounded totally on the Stone Age principle of needing a big ball carrier in midfield.
Had England not noticed how the game had moved on?
Now it’s inconceivable that England take the field without Ford and Farrell in harness which is why there was something of a panic when Farrell went down lame in training on Thursday. Suddenly that was a very real prospect and England fans started to fret slightly.
Who would kick the goals, who would make the big hits, who would offer up that time and second option which seems to bring out the best in Ford?
It appears that Ben Te’o was lined up as that man but England might need to revisit that when next there is an injury dilemma because the precious dynamic needs to be preserved.
Henry Slade looks the best bet as Owen Farrell Mark II to these eyes and, assuming Jones is not inclined to look in the direction of Danny Cipriani, Slade is probably also the best bet as George Ford Mark II. Slade’s chance to garner some serious game time will surely come in Argentina this summer.
England’s presence in the Lions squad is clearly going to be considerable – in the midteens at the very least possibly higher – but the scale of Scotland’s capitulations did their Lions prospects serious damage.
Finn Russell was the biggest sufferer with an erratic and occasionally eccentric display while neither of the Gray brothers put their best foot forward. The competition at lock is so severe that just one poor game could be costly.
Alex Dunbar went backwards but fair play to Huw Jones, who after finding life torrid in defence in the first half, bounced back with real guts and class to score twice after the break and remains in the hunt. Stuart Hogg, who had to depart with a concussion, has massive credit in the bank and Tommy Seymour, another who took a knock to the head, remains in contention.
Scotland need to quickly draw a line under this performance and finish in style against Italy. If England win in Dublin the Scots would be marginal favourites to finish second overall and that would be a bestever Six Nations placing.
After 18 long seasons it would be a start and, famously, the secret of getting ahead is getting started. Mark Twain, again, in case you wondered!