The temperatures are rising, the daffodils are out and, within the England camp, the time has come for a major spring clean. Steve Borthwick has certainly snapped on his marigolds with rare vigour in his bid to banish his side’s February blues, with most areas of his team sheet either hosed down or completely flushed away after the less‑than‑fragrant performance against Ireland.
A grand total of 12 changes, three of them positional, is almost approaching Thames Water-levels of murky discharge. Not since the infamous tombola days of the 1960s and 70s, when England’s selectors sometimes called up any old Tom, Dick or Harrovian, has a red rose head coach deviated more strikingly from the strong and stable gospel of devil‑you‑know cohesion.
