Can England win the 2025 Six Nations?

Anything but England winning the Six Nations will be deemed a failure, but is that realistic?

The RFU's off-field issues mean results on the pitch are under further scrutiny and it could be Steve Borthwick, overseeing his third Championship campaign, who pays the price.

England showed improvement in 2024, winning three of their five Six Nations games. It was a rollercoaster tournament that saw them beat Ireland and come close in an all-time classic against France. 

However, they again lost to Scotland and those three nations are their first three opponents, heading to Dublin on Saturday before hosting Les Bleus and the Scots at Twickenham in weeks two and three.

Those three fixtures will define their campaign and with Michael Cheika potentially available, possibly Borthwick's future.

The start of this piece may have been full of negativity, but imagine if things worked out. Three opening wins would see the Red Rose's odds of 10/1 for a first Grand Slam since 2016 tumble.

With Italy and Wales their final two opponents, even two victories from their first three games could put the 4/1 third-favourites on track for a first title since 2020.

After appointing Maro Itoje as his new captain, it appears to be make or break for Borthwick - can he finally bring his best players together and execute his tactics effectively?

Early wins can build momentum

The games against Ireland, France and Scotland will define England's campaign. Lose them all, and even high-scoring closing wins against Italy and Wales may not be able to rescue Borthwick's position.  

The Red Rose are 12/5 to win in Dublin in what is being billed as a chance for 1/3 Ireland to exact revenge for last year's defeat at Twickenham, which prevented them from earning a second straight Grand Slam.

Marcus Smith's late drop goal sealed a 23-22 victory and confirmed the defining performance of the Borthwick era, with his side playing the fast-paced, attacking rugby the coach has repeatedly insisted he wants his team to play, and they subsequently repeated in their 33-31 defeat to France.

Breaking Irish hearts again will set England up for their round two game against Les Bleus, who won 53-10 on their last visit to HQ in 2023.

It could have been so much worse, with Thomas Ramos scoring France's first try after less than a minute and the mood turned ugly at Twickenham. The same could happen again if the hosts falter, but if England come to play, the Twickenham crowd will rise behind them like they did in the win over Ireland, which could prove the difference.

Wins for Borthwick's side over 13/8 tournament favourites France and 7/4 holders Ireland will make them favourites to claim the Calcutta Cup against Scotland for the first time since 2020 and put them on course for the Triple Crown at 5/1. 

Six Nations campaigns are all about momentum, and England's first two matches could help build them up for glory.

England must maintain intensity

Borthwick's selection for the game at the Aviva has been based on pace, with the Curry twins selected in the back row on either side of number eight Ben Earl.

All three have specific attributes but they share an ability to get around the field. The trio can empty the tank thanks to the decision to favour a six-two split among the replacements, providing additional mobility off the bench.

Chandler Cunningham-South and Tom Willis are in form and dynamic and can help avoid the issues that arose in the autumn when England's forwards repeatedly fell off in the final quarter.

Scrum-half Alex Mitchell also possesses super speed and can zip the ball out to number 10 Smith, while debutant winger Cadan Murley's inclusion in Immanuel Feyi-Waboso's absence provides raw wheels on the left flank. Murley is 7/2 to be England's leading tryscorer.

Even if his side loses in Dublin, Borthwick cannot change tact. Ireland and France are powerful outfits but like all great teams, their success has been built on moving the ball away from contact at pace and mirroring that intensity by limiting space when out of possession.

Speed is the one attribute in sport that can gloss over all other ills, and consistently using it might be the catalyst for England to finally get it right.

Chance for emerging prop stars

Traditionally strong in the set-piece, a sudden dearth of props has impacted England but a new crop is emerging, while fringe players are also coming good.

Loosehead Ellis Genge and tighthead Will Stuart will start in Ireland but improving duo Fin Baxter and Joe Heyes have made an impact when called off the bench and are again among the replacements.

There are also signs that Bevan Rodd, who has always been brilliant in the loose, has sharpened up his scrummaging but the real excitement is around his Sale colleague Asher Opoku-Fordjour.

The 20-year-old can play on both sides of the scrum and, after excelling for England A against their Australian counterparts in November, made his full debut as a substitute later in the month against Japan.

Rodd and Opoku-Fordjour will watch from the stands in Dublin but could get chances as the tournament goes on, as could Gloucester's Afolabi Fasogbon, who partnered the Sharks tyro in England's 2024 under-20 World Cup victory. 

England have lacked pure power in recent seasons but props are similar to goalkeepers - they tend to get better with age. 

However, Opoku-Fordjour and Fasogbon look the real deal and given England's habit of fatiguing late in games, could add a fresh dimension by coming off the bench to demolish opponents.

There is potential around the park for England and options for Borthwick to change things if needed. 

The 45-year-old faithfully follows data but with Cheika reportedly an option to take over once he leaves Leicester in the summer, now might be the time to distrust the numbers and put faith in his players.