A record Twickenham defeat by France was an all-time low and the team rebuild must be an even bigger project than Steve Borthwick first realised. Alarmingly, they now lack the kind of forward power that has always been an English calling card. Yet, for all their troubles, they remain favourites to win their World Cup pool and, with a win against probably either Wales or Australia – also middling sides – they would find themselves in the semi-finals. In beating England, Wales and Italy while also being competitive against the big two, Scotland eclipsed pre-tournament expectations. They can now gear up for the World Cup, where they will be in a tough group with Ireland and South Africa, in far more optimistic mood than might have been the case a couple of months ago.

Source: The Herald March 19, 2023 18:42 UTC