An unchanged team-sheet does not, in England’s case, mean settling for the status quo this weekend. Across the board, from players to casual fans, there is an acceptance the Twickenham atmosphere needs to change – and soon. The last time the national team played at home, against Fiji in the buildup to the Rugby World Cup, the rows of empty seats said it all even before England lost the actual game.
The Six Nations is always a slightly different beast, with the travelling Welsh choirs available to give the visiting anthem a passionate extra edge. But when the Guardian reported last month that England’s new captain, Jamie George, and his players had submitted several suggestions to the Rugby Football Union to try to improve the vibe in and around the stadium on big international days, social media was not slow to suggest numerous areas that could, or should, be addressed.
