Chris Jones

Italy, I think we all knew, would be competitive without competing for the title.

So, yeah, England's decline has been stark.

It's been shocking.

And, you know, you could...

combed back through 2025 and go, oh, well, they didn't play the Springboks and got lucky at Twickenham against France and got lucky at Twickenham against Scotland and played Argentina with two teams without their best players in a lower profile tour during that.

You can do all that.

But at the time, it felt like England were in a really good place.

They'd brought some coaches in.

Lee Blackett, particularly, it looked like the synergy in their coaching team was spot on.

The depth in their side looked good.

So yes, I don't think anyone was crowning England world beaters, bring on the spring box and the World Cup kind of stuff.

But I think most people, English or not, they'd expect England to be playing for the title, at least going into weekends four and five.

And once again, like has been the story a lot in Six Nations past, in recent past, England aren't anywhere when it comes to the final reckoning.

Well, I think it's a hard one to say because the RFU, by trying to support him with their statement, I don't think particularly did because I think they were trying to play a clever game where they were supporting their head coach while also saying what's gone on hasn't been good enough and saying the support is not going to be unconditional.

So they were trying to do a few things at once, weren't they?

They were trying to say...

Yeah, Steve's our man, but he's not going to be at the Rugby World Cup if things continue.

The things have to pick up.

There will be a big inquest.

So, yes, I think it may be just calmed some of the noise for this week.