This already has the feel of a vintage Six Nations season and the next two weekends could be similarly memorable. Even at a grey, deserted Twickenham, as England’s players huddled tight in their final eve-of-game training session, there was a sense of anticipation in the chilly air. If France are to win a championship game in London for the first time since 2005 they are going to have to earn it.
Because, in all sorts of ways, this is a game England have been waiting for. The frantic early weeks of Steve Borthwick’s regime have been replaced by a more calculated, purposeful vibe. If they cannot beat the second highest-ranked team in the world, so be it. But at the very least they want to give it a proper go and, in doing so, give everyone a glimpse of what a more proactive future could look like.
