ENGLAND v IRELAND | Twickenham Response or Irish Statement? | ft Pat McCarry | The Rugby Paper Roundup

In this week’s episode of The Rugby Paper Roundup…

Assistant Editor Ben Jaycock is joined by Irish rugby writer Pat McCarry to preview a huge Six Nations showdown at Twickenham.

England’s 12-match unbeaten run is over. Grand Slam hopes are gone. Suddenly Steve Borthwick’s side are under pressure again after their Murrayfield setback. But Ireland arrive wounded too — facing questions about decline, selection calls and long-term direction under Andy Farrell.

We break down whether Scotland was just a blip for England — or a deeper warning sign — and examine Borthwick’s selection shake-up, including Tom Curry’s return, Henry Pollock’s first Test start and changes in the midfield and back three.

On the Irish side, Jack Crowley replaces Sam Prendergast as part of five changes, with Jamison Gibson-Park and Tadhg Furlong back, Josh van der Flier restored, and Caelan Doris shifting to No.8. Is the fly-half debate becoming a distraction? And is the ‘ageing Ireland’ narrative fair — or media overreaction?

We also reflect on Maro Itoje’s 100th cap — where does he rank among modern England forwards — and ask the big question: who needs this more?

We cover:

Plus, quick previews of:

Final call: Twickenham response or Irish resurgence?

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In this week’s episode of The Rugby Paper Roundup… Assistant Editor Ben Jaycock is joined by the king of rugby compilations, Andrew Forde, to break down the biggest stories heading into Round Two of the Six Nations. The pair react to England’s team news ahead of Saturday — with Maro Itoje returning, Luke Cowan-Dickie coming in for Jamie George, and Fin Smith handed the No.10 shirt — before making their Round Two predictions, including whether Italy can cause another shock in Dublin. Andrew also discusses the viral rise of his YouTube channel, how he got started producing rugby compilations, and why highlight culture is playing a growing role in the sport’s digital reach. We also dive into the “Henry Pollock effect” — why the young back row is generating so much buzz — and Andrew builds a dream XV made up entirely of players he’s created highlight reels on. Plus, with the U20 Six Nations underway, we discuss emerging stars like Tom Bowen and Kalvin Gourgues, and whether early highlight exposure accelerates hype around young players. The show rounds off with a look at Super Rugby Pacific’s return, including new law tweaks designed to speed the game up — from quicker taps to breakdown changes — and what they could mean for the global game. You can subscribe to The Rugby Paper digitally or physically for more great content via this link: https://www.therugbypaper.co.uk/subsc... OR by scanning the QR code in the top right corner. Remember to follow us across social media for more content and to keep up-to-date with the latest rugby news! X: https://x.com/TheRugbyPaper Facebook: / therugbypaper Instagram: / therugbypaper Coaching at a grassroots rugby club while juggling work, family & training? Then this is for you. The Rugby Coach Weekly Partner Club Programme helps clubs recruit, train and retain volunteer coaches — while making your coaching life easier: https://www.rugbycoachweekly.net/ 

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