Ellis Genge insists England As they aim to ruin Ireland’s grand slam celebrations on Saturday, they are determined to rediscover the lost battle that resulted in their collapse against France.
The stage is set for one of the great days of Irish rugby as Andy Farrell’s men are on the verge of winning their first championship clean sweep in Dublin to spark St Patrick’s weekend party.
With Ireland at the top of the global standings and gearing up to wreak havoc with the World Cup this fall, England are picking up the pieces after France swept Twickenham by a record 53-10 home loss.
How much scars the experience left will be revealed at the summit. Six Nationshowever, Genge insists that their weaker players at Aviva Stadium were desperate to stand out at the right moment.
“We’re beaten at home, on St Patrick’s Day – a day literally made for them – we’re going to number 1 in the world and they could win a grand slam,” Genge said.
“The odds are against us, but I’m really confident that we will emerge victorious from the group.
“Whatever the scoreboard, it’s not about going out and thinking about points.
We’re beaten at home, going world number one on St Patrick’s Day – a day literally made for them – and they could win a Grand Slam
Ellis Genge
“Now it’s more about proving there’s some fighting inside of us because this weekend has been questioned and we’re not where we want to be as a team.
“It’s just about doing what’s right for each other. It’s backed by combat, and it’s something we didn’t do this weekend. There’s definitely a dog on this team, and it didn’t show well against France.
“I don’t think what we showed against France was the team we were. It was terrible for us and there are a lot of things we can fix pretty easily. Ultimately it comes down to fighting and that’s what we’re going to do.”
England were brutally bullied by Les Bleus, who dominated the skirmishes on both sides of the ball. But Genge stresses the need for perspective.
“I don’t think a defeat defines you. “It just highlights your vulnerability, shows that you’re not where you should be, and shows that there is a reasonable gap between us and the top of the world.”
“Every cloud and that doesn’t hide the fact that we scored 50 points at home. There is also a chance for pain and revenge.
“If I was Irish, I would be mustard for a chance to win a Grand Slam at home. But I don’t think they will underestimate us, even 50 points behind they will show us the respect we deserve.
“Ireland has changed a lot in their spirit. They used to like being a weak team and now they’re number one in the world. They need to support that and I think they’re a great team. Now we are the weak ones.”