I understand Steve Borthwick's reports about England — I just don't believe them

Steve Borthwick (left) has won two from two, but now comes the hard part. Photo: AFP/Glyn Kirk

So only England and Ireland will be able to win the Grand Slam this year. This is a fact, but as with many facts, context is everything. Ireland achieved successive wins with ease, while England claimed two narrow wins over the weaker of their Six Nations rivals, Italy and Wales. However, in terms of victory, Steve Borthwick's men did what was required, negotiating early games that could easily have eluded them. We'll soon find out if Tommy Freeman and Maro Itoje are right when they say England can win the title race this year.

England's recent results against higher ranked teams have been poor. So their next game against Scotland at Murrayfield will be the ideal opportunity to take the next step on the road back to rugby's top table. Victory will set up a truly seismic game against the Irish, with the winner remaining the sole contender for the Grand Slam. Defeat would mean that England have won only one of their last six Calcutta Cup games and that they belong to the bottom of the table, where they have been for the last three years.

Although this is not true. to be accepted by Borthwick as such is a vital game as it will show whether any genuine progress has taken place in the Six Nations under his leadership.

England are not so wet behind the ears

After the game it was interesting to hear Borthwick describe his team as young. Again, this must be viewed as fact. I suppose it depends on what you or he means by «young» and the applicable context. It is young in the sense that it has several new unit combinations. He does have some young players who have recently come onto the field. However, it would be disingenuous to use the term «young» to excuse mistakes that you won't forgive when it comes to more experienced players. England started and finished the game with over 600 matches played in the XV. This is not a team that is starting from scratch, and they have significant experience working as a team.

Players like Joe Marler have significant experience. Photo: Getty Images/Dan Mullan

Borthwick went on to highlight what he believes are the positives to be taken from last Saturday's two-point win. He said he saw a team that «stays in the fight and finds a way through.» Again, context is important. England came to terms with the loss of two players and overcame the difficulties caused by a 6-0 penalty against them in the first half. However, whose fault is it that they found themselves in this situation? This dilemma was not due to the relentless attack of a super-talented Welsh team.

The blame lies with the players

The English received two yellow cards on their own, no matter how insignificant you may consider these decisions. If you continue to call such failures failures, you will have to come to the conclusion that this is one of the unluckiest teams in the world compared to other teams. Alternatively, you can take a real stand and place the blame where it really lies, with the relevant players. You can also make a strong point that against the best teams, even one yellow card can have insurmountable consequences.

As England's new captain, Jamie George deserves credit for holding his team together under pressure. It's not as simple as calling on a team under pressure to rally, it requires tactical adjustments and leading by example. What George needs to be wary of is sacrificing his personal focus and his own contribution in the key hooker position. He needs to ensure that he is not distracted by his responsibilities to his team. As one of England's most consistent performers, George should continue to contribute through possession and support running; in this regard he was unusually silent.

It took a while for England to gain the upper hand in attack and against the stronger scrums that their remaining opponents possess, it would be worth considering starting with their strongest scrum in the front row, which means starting Dan Cole. Since the essence of the modern game is to give the referee the impression of dominance in the fight, wouldn't it be better to try to achieve this right away?

Strong competition in England's front row will mean Marler and Dan Cole will start. Photo: Getty Images/Steve Bardens

We will have a much better idea of ​​where England will be in the next three matches. What would help them greatly is not just an increased struggle for discipline; they need to improve their possession of the ball and increase the number of decisions they require from their defence. Apart from Ben Earl, England are not producing the required yards. This is where Richard Wigglesworth needs to showcase his work in progress, as this is the area where most of the questions still remain unanswered. Nobody is demanding a revolution. Evolution, but real and recognizable, is necessary.