Six Nations: Steve Borthwick dares England to dream of Paris glory

Steve Borthwick has given England the challenge of leading their fans into a final-round attack against Paris as they chase a first Six Nations victory in seven years.

After 11 consecutive wins, England come into the tournament in excellent form and a cheerful mood, kicking off their campaign at home to Wales on 7 February.

But Borthwick, who was in the squad when England fans flocked to Paris to see his side take on South Africa in the 2007 Rugby World Cup final, is daring to dream ahead of the clash with champions and title favorites France on March 14.

“People can see the potential in this group,” he told Rugby Union Weekly.

“They can see in which direction the team is moving, how they are progressing.

“We met as a team two weeks ago and I talked to them about how the last seven Six Nations Championships have been decided by final round fixtures.

“I think 17 of the last 20 games.

“We will play against a great French team in Paris on March 14th.

“We want to be in a position to achieve what we all want to achieve in this game. We want the English fans flocking across the Channel to go there and watch the game.

“The only way to get to this point is to pay attention to every step along the journey.”

Borthwick predicts a barrage of box kicks will be his side’s first obstacle against Wales in the Twickenham skies in new manager Steve Tandy’s first Six Nations campaign in charge.

“He brought a defensive system from Scotland where you had two guys tackling high trying to keep people in the air,” Borthwick said of his opposite number.

“As you can see they know their pace is on the limit so they will come and try to move the ball towards the edges.

“The biggest thing, it’s the core of their game, is the contested batting game. I think they’ll probably play 50 contested innings at the Allianz Stadium in a couple of weeks.”

“We’ll be prepared for that.”