Sir Clive Woodward has emphatically reinforced his call for a rule change that could elevate the Six Nations to new heights.
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The former England coach, who recently quit ITV’s Six Nations coverage, advocates for ditching the rule the RFU Have regarding overseas players, arguing that it hampers Borthwick’s ability to assemble the strongest squad without constraints.
Expressing concern over the potential dampening of excitement in this year’s Six Nations, Woodward contends that the absence of key players could detract from the tournament’s previous thrill.
“England can’t select the likes of Henry Arundell and Jack Willis because they are employed by French clubs,” Woodward wrote in the Daily Mail.
“The same will be true of Farrell next season. I maintain that England should ditch the foreign ruling.
“The Six Nations is arguably the No 1 rugby tournament. You could make a case for it being as big, or bigger, than the World Cup because of its unrivalled history.
“While I hope I’m proved wrong and that we see brilliant matches and great entertainment, I’m not sure we can say ahead of this year’s competition that it will be the pinnacle of the game.”
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“3.5/10” – Three players Steve Borthwick should DROP – and who should play against Wales
Despite Steve Borthwick’s squad not hitting their peak form, their victory secures the second spot in the table and puts an end to a four-game losing streak in Six Nations opening matches.
However, not everyone left a lasting impression in Rome, and three noticeable changes have been proposed for the upcoming clash against Wales at Twickenham next weekend.
#1. Fraser Dingwall
Rugby Pass 3.5/10: “A player with the patience of Job waiting for this Test debut, given the number of squads he was involved in without even playing, he encountered a baptism of fire defensively and will likely be a fall guy in the inner sanctum post-mortem.”
Planet Rugby 5/10: “Won’t like the missed tackle for Monty Ioane’s try in a debut performance where there wasn’t too much to shout about.”
Telegraph 5/10: “Grew into the game on his debut but fell off the tackle badly for Ioane’s try. England also need to involve him more as a ball carrier.”
RUCK 5/10: “Dingwall, long-awaited for his Test debut, struggled a lot in the opening 40. Criticised for a missed tackle leading to an opponent’s try, he got better as the game went on.”
Replacement: Max Ojomoh