ENGLAND BOSS STEVE Borthwick believes his team’s ability to defend against Ireland’s phase-play attack will be the key to Saturday’s Six Nations opener in Dublin.

The English defence had become a real point of strength after Felix Jones joined Borthwick’s coaching staff following the 2023 World Cup, with their 2024 Six Nations victory over Ireland in Twickenham founded on an excellent defensive effort.

However, the English defence was poor last November after Jones left the set-up, with Borthwick’s side conceding some frustrating linebreaks and tries in the Autumn Nations Series.

Shoring up their defence will have been a primary focus ahead of their Six Nations clash with Ireland, who have become renowned for their phase-play attack under Andy Farrell.

The Ireland boss is now away on Lions duty but England – who have readily embraced their underdog status – still expect a fierce challenge from the Irish attack even with Farrell absent.

“The coaching team’s been together so long and they’ve worked together for such a long period, I don’t sense that would be a great factor,” said Borthwick.

“In a sense, I think there’ll be a lot of consistency. I think when you’re picking so many players from one team as well… is it 23 of the 36 from Leinster? Is that correct? They know each other and understand each other.

“When they play their phase attack, when they bring that multi-phase attack that they can bring, they’re very, very dangerous and you know, they can play phase upon phase and it becomes a test of concentration. There’s a test of discipline and they’re looking for some opportunities and some lapse in concentration from the defender and then they’ll get you. It’s four, five phases, six, eight, 10 phases.

“You’ve got to keep concentrated on it with discipline. I think that’s the crux of this battle.

“They’ve started kicking much more contestable as most teams have but they’ve really started kicking many more contestable kicks and I’d be interested whether they’re going to do that, whether they’re going to bring a contestable game or are they going to play their phase game because I think it’s the phase game that’s the real threat.

“When they play that, they are arguably the best in the world.”

England celebrate their win over Ireland last year. Andrew Fosker / INPHO Andrew Fosker / INPHO / INPHO

Borthwick believes that some of the tactics Jacques Nienaber has introduced in Leinster’s defence have been adopted in Ireland camp.

He is keen for referees to be strict with Ireland at the defensive breakdown. New Zealand official Ben O’Keeffe is in charge this weekend in Dublin.

“I think you saw Ireland’s attack on the opposition breakdown, you see the same thing with Leinster,” said Borthwick.

“What’ll be interesting is how that is officiated. World Rugby talked last week about some factors of how they want that officiated and making sure it’s legal and within the laws. That’s going to be an important area for our referee on the day.”

Borthwick clearly believes there will be a big overlap between how Leinster and Ireland play in this Six Nations.

As such, he watched Bath’s visit to the Aviva Stadium last weekend with keen interest.

“At 52 minutes, Bath are still winning and Bath are in their own half and they make an error and that’s when Leinster capitalise,” said Borthwick.

“They bring the carries, then they bring Doris on and he carries it, they have Snyman – who I know won’t be in the Ireland team – but you can imagine what they’ll bring, it’s Doris, it’s Aki, it’s James Lowe.

“And that came from making the mistake of not getting out of your own half correctly, and that’s a picture of Ireland’s threat.

“If you don’t get out and bring pressure on, then they have carriers and the phase game – Gibson-Park starts running – and they have that situation in multi-phase, that’s what they’ve got.”