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Tommy Freeman has admitted that England understand supporters’ frustrations amid a chorus of boos during the scrappy win against Scotland, but he believes Steve Borthwick’s team are still alive in the Six Nations title race after back-to-back wins.
Borthwick has revealed that Freeman’s Northampton teammate George Furbank is unlikely to feature in the final two games, against Italy and Wales, having suggested previously that he could, but England go into the second fallow week third in the table with favourable fixtures to come.
While the 16-15 victory on Saturday ended a run of four successive defeats by Scotland, and was a first against the auld enemy at Twickenham since 2017, supporters made clear their feelings regarding England’s route-one approach and they could be heard groaning and jeering as Alex Mitchell and Fin Smith put boot to ball. The former captain Will Carling described England’s victory as “very ugly” while the World Cup winner Will Greenwood said “they simply play no rugby”.
Scotland scored three tries to England’s one – a controversial score by Freeman amid uncertainty over whether he grounded the ball – but the 23-year-old winger sought to explain his side’s approach.
“Our strategy is either to go long and find some grass and keep them down in that end, and then hopefully get the ball even further up or off transition,” he said.
“Or we go to that contestable kick, and hope you’ll get some good rewards off of having a loose ball and hopefully getting some ball back and then unstructured defences off the back of it. So there’s a strategy to it. We understand it can get too much.”
After a couple of days off, England will convene on Wednesday for a training camp in York with Borthwick hopeful Tom Curry and Tom Willis will be available to face Italy. Curry looked in distress when hobbling off against Scotland but Borthwick revealed he had a dead leg while Willis sustained a head injury and will go through the return-to-play protocols.
George Martin, who was absent against Scotland after dropping out of the squad with a knee problem, is also expected to be available but Furbank is likely to miss England’s run-in as he continues his recovery from a broken arm. Borthwick said: “It’s going to be very, very tight to play in the championship given he’s not played, but he’s on track healing-wise. George Martin, all being well, everything should be right for the last part of the championship.”
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After France’s 73-24 win against Italy on Sunday, their trip to Dublin to face Ireland in the next round looks pivotal in the title race. England will need results to go their way in the final two rounds but can look forward to a home match against the Azzurri knowing victory would keep them in the hunt going into the last weekend of the championship.
Asked if England can still win the title, Freeman said: “It’s not beyond the bounds of possibility at all. But we’ll just keep focusing on our training each week. Just focus on what we can, what’s in front of us. We know these two games coming up aren’t going to be easy. Italy have come on leaps and bounds, and they’ll be putting up a fight, and then it’s Wales away. We’ll be looking to take each game as it comes.”
