With loads of uncapped or unproven players, England go into the Six Nations as something of an unknown. We poke around in the dark to offer a verdict.
How’s the form?
Really, who knows? England, like Ireland, go into the tournament with a disappointing Rugby World Cup quarter-final exit to a Six Nations rival still fairly fresh in the memory.
The performances of the Aviva Premiership sides in the Heineken Cup have been dire – Ulster and Munster put a collective 90-plus points on Leicester Tigers and Northampton Saints respectively over the last couple of weeks, while Saracens are the only English contender to reach the last eight.
That might not really matter when it comes to the Six Nations, and if they kick off with wins away to Scotland and Italy – and they’ll be favourites to win both games – then the momentum could be on their side.
But with injuries to key personnel such as Manu Tuilagi, Tom Wood and Toby Flood and ongoing uncertainty over the coaching position – Stuart Lancaster is in charge on an interim capacity after the ignominious end to the Martin Johnson era – there’s a sense that all couldn’t possibly be well.
Star Man:
A tricky one, this. With all the comings and goings there’s hardly a player on the team who can be sure of his place, but we’ll side with Ben Youngs.
Youngs is still just 22 and occasionally looks like a potentially world-beating scrum half. He wasn’t at his best at the Rugby World Cup, although part of the blame for that can be laid at the fact that he may have been rushed back too quickly from a knee operation.
The Kit Kat Chunky Hard Yards Man:
Hat-tip to Kit Kat Chunky Champion time: Courtney Lawes‘ height, strength and hands are all about twice the size of the next man, so he’s a perfect fit for Kit Kat Chunky Double Choc. You get the feeling the massive lock just relishes contact; with or without the ball, he’s a formidable foe. His tackling is already the stuff of legend, and he takes a bit of stopping with ball in hand too.
The New Kid on the Block:
Virtually everyone. Thirteen of the provisional 32-man squad announced by Lancaster are either uncapped or have played just once for England. But Owen Farrell is definitely one to watch – the 20-year-old centre has been catching the eye for Saracens this season, and if he plays he would make his England debut just five years after his father, former league and union star and current England coach Andy, played his last game for England.
The WAG to Watch:
Our own Una Healy
Ben Foden’s missus and Irish lovely Una Healy, who’s expecting their first baby around the time of the Ireland-England game on St Patrick’s Day. Here’s hoping it’s a title decider and the RFU brings out The Queen and a red carpet…
The Dates:
Feb 4: v Scotland (a)
Feb 11: v Italy (a)
Feb 25: v Wales (h)
Mar 11: v France (a)
Mar 17: v Ireland (h)
If they were a Rocky film, they would be: Rocky IV. New characters introduced that we didn’t really like and the old formula is perhaps getting a bit tired.
The JOE/Kit Kat Chunky Verdict:
Fourth. Everything can change in an instant, and they haven’t got the worst of schedules, but there is surely too much ground to make up for England to challenge this year.
Which is your favourite in the Kit Kat Chunky Champion search? Peanut Butter’s better, right? Or maybe you’re a Double Choc or Orange-loving type of fella? Wait, it’s White Choc, right? Vote for your favourite over at the Kit Kat Facebook page.
