The Breakdown | England prepare to reveal Six Nations hand with Borthwick aware of ticking clock

The Six Nations is a key staging post on the road to next year’s World Cup and with injuries biting, Wales offer the only real chance to experiment

On the face of it the Champions Cup has been helpful for the majority of Six Nations head coaches before this year’s championship. Gregor Townsend, for example, would dearly love Scotland to play with the purpose and passion currently oozing from Glasgow and will doubtless wish to ensure his national side exhibit similar characteristics.

Ditto France. If Fabien Galthié overlooks the electric form of Matthieu Jalibert, particularly with Romain Ntamack out injured for the next few weeks, his trademark thick-rimmed glasses must have misted up. There can be no rational reason not to bury la hachette with the Bordeaux fly-half and invite him to combine as brilliantly with Louis Bielle-Biarrey and Damian Penaud as the trio do at club level. Continue reading...