Our rugby writers answer some of the big questions from the first three rounds of the tournament, and give Steve Borthwick a few selection pointers for Rome in two weeks’ time.
Charlie Morgan Somewhere in between, at the risk of picking up splinters. One more performance as subdued and sloppy as the Ireland defeat and there should be serious questions because the optimism generated by England’s 12-Test winning streak has been punctured.
Stuart Barnes The dramatic fall from grace is so great that — not wishing to evade the question — it is almost irresponsible to make a call before the full-time whistle blows in Rome. England have gone from the pretty damn good to the ridiculously bad. There’s confusion in the press room and on the pitch.
Steve James It’s a reality check, hopefully one that Borthwick responds to by making the requisite changes. England will never win a World Cup with George Ford at No10. Fin Smith is a damn good fly half, so ask yourself: who will be the better player by the time of that tournament next year? It will be Smith if he plays, but not if he is being messed around. Borthwick has simply been wasting time.
Ford has come under increased scrutiny as a result of England’s back-to-back defeats
ADAM DAVY/PA
Elgan Alderman Still just a slump. Borthwick will be in danger if they lose to Italy, and a double whammy of defeats at Ellis Park against South Africa and by Fiji in Liverpool this summer could force the RFU’s hand. A refresh at No12 and 15, and a rest for the captain Maro Itoje, would help.
John Westerby Two defeats after 12 wins in a row can only be a mini-slump, but the nature of the defeat by Ireland was worrying enough to raise serious doubts. Disorganisation and collective malfunctions suggest something is badly awry and, if not quickly fixed, Borthwick will feel the heat.
Do France have a weakness, or is a grand slam nailed on?
CM Their scrum has looked slightly vulnerable, which is clutching at straws because most other facets have been excellent — despite Fabien Galthié, the head coach, introducing new faces with the next World Cup in mind. France possess so much firepower that you sense it will take an exceptional attacking display, allied to set-piece solidity, to beat them.
SB France are not nailed on for the grand slam. Scotland have an attacking game to scare the life out of any side. Complacent against Wales, they are now in a good position to fire a few shots at home to France. Not too much to lose and an immense amount to gain. France are far from past the post with two games to go.
SJ Clearly a grand slam looks highly probable with their alluring combination of pace and power, but Italy stressed them more in Lille than the eventual scoreline suggested, and there is no reason why England cannot too, as long as Borthwick jettisons the likes of Ford, Fraser Dingwall and Freddie Steward, who have so obviously been holding the team back.
EA Anything other than a grand slam would be an underachievement. The continued absence of Matthieu Jalibert, who missed the win over Italy, would represent a reduction in their powers. Thomas Ramos is magical but not as consistent, and better as a second playmaker from full back.
JW Three quick starts mean they have yet to be placed under serious pressure. How would they respond to falling behind, especially without previous leaders such as Gaël Fickou and Grégory Alldritt? We are yet to see their young midfielders or a reshaped back row really tested in this way.
A tactical wrinkle or something unexpected that has caught your eye?
CM The variations of wrap-around strike moves that teams are deploying. Over the past five years or so, it has been commonplace to see an inside centre at first receiver with fly halves and blind-side wings circling around that point man. Now, different subtleties are at play with the outside centre or back-row forwards deployed as pivots in midfield.
SB As expected, there have been more competitive defensive lineouts than ever. Teams are getting men off the ground and making life miserable for a lot of hookers. I am waiting for the three-jumpers pack to claim ascendancy rather than the English three open-side experiment.
SJ It is not necessarily new but so unusual in this day and age — France’s ball movement in Cardiff against Wales was exceptional. I loved the way they so often moved the ball away from a high-kick take so quickly. Moving the ball away from contact is still a pretty good idea!
France’s ball movement against Wales showed why they’re top of the table
SIMON KING/PROSPORTS/SHUTTERSTOCK
EA The guile of Rhys Carré’s identical tries against France and Scotland. Five-metre tap, dummy runner from second phase, big man being pushed. We are still waiting for a hybrid kick to touch/tap, where the player chips it to a team-mate directly from a penalty to set up a drive.
JW The sheer pace of France’s pack in the first two games, with the locks — Charles Ollivon and Mickaël Guillard — capable of playing in the back row, and a speedier No7 in Oscar Jégou. They can play the power game, too, but could that blend of pace and muscle be the way to challenge the dominant Springboks?
Your player of the championship so far?
CM It has been very easy to feel happy for Stuart McCloskey, who has seized his chance in Ireland’s midfield quite wonderfully. From quarterback-style offloads to surging runs via crisp passing and committed defence, the Ulsterman has been fantastic.
SB Louis Bielle-Biarrey was the star last season and he’s blazing away just as brightly in 2026. Whether as a finisher, an out-and-out sprinter, a subtle offloader or the deftest of kickers, this man is one of the world’s best rugby players.
McCloskey has taken his chance and has been one of Ireland’s standout performers in this year’s tournament
DAVID ROGERS/GETTY IMAGES
SJ The France wing Bielle-Biarrey. Not really much of a contest — he is ludicrously good. Honourable mentions for Scotland’s Finn Russell and Rory Darge.
EA Simone Ferrari has spearheaded some of the most dominant scrummaging performances in recent memory for Italy. With Danilo Fischetti, Mirco Spagnolo et al, they laid waste to Scotland and Ireland.
JW Anthony Jelonch. Galthié’s big selection call was not leaving out Damian Penaud, but Alldritt, who had been such a beacon of consistency at No8. Jelonch has filled the gap admirably, immense in defence and with those short, purposeful carries in heavy traffic.
Your England team to face Italy?