"...but how you played the game."

Sport is fascinating, in the way teams change. Maybe a new manager arrives, or a different formation suddenly seems to work, but as a spectator you get that exciting feeling - “this is different.” That’s been happening in the Six Nations rugby tournament, and was crystallised this weekend with another stunning game to follow England’s surprise defeat of Ireland last week.

This time, against France, the English didn’t win, but that didn’t matter. They were definitely worth watching, and they came very close, and they weren’t depressing to watch. Against Scotland, the heart sank every time we launched yet another hopeful kick from the scrum-half, which was dutifully fielded and swallowed up, as we gave up possession and any hope of scoring. Here there was speed and imagination, a willingness to try something interesting, and the talent to back it up. Even as they lost, this was a team worth watching.

There are different explanations as to how this happened. Was it simply that the Borthwick master plan took time to woork, and after a few games everything clicked into shape? Or did the players rebel against a restrictive structure within which they were being asked to play, and demand a bit more freedom? I don’t know and I don’t mind. I’m just glad that watching the England team play is no longer an embarrassment. .