venue: twickenham stadium, london date: Saturday, March 9th kick off: 16:45 GMT |
coverage: Listen on BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Sounds and BBC Radio Ulster. Live text updates, reports, reactions and highlights on the BBC Sport website and app. |
Kevin Sinfield believes it is “unfair” to say that head coach Steve Borthwick is completely data-driven when preparing for England's Test matches.
Borthwick has been criticized by former England captain Will Carling. telegraph England are playing in a restrictive 'data straitjacket'.
Sinfield, England's individual skills and kicking coach, says every professional team now uses data in their strategy.
“We try to cover all aspects,” Sinfield told BBC Sport.
“As a coaching team, we try to get our players as prepared as possible and there is some data in that.
“Every national team and probably every club team is currently using data and it's important that they use it in the right way.
“But we're also in the people business and we need to get people right and understand how they're feeling. It's equally important to get the emotional side right.”
England have struggled offensively in this Six Nations and have been criticized for kicking away too many possessions in search of territory.
After losing to Scotland in their last game, they could have fly-half Marcus Smith back from injury when they host world number two Ireland at Twickenham on Saturday.
Sinfield added: “We have a way of playing that we like and a way of playing that we think England should play, and we mix that with our players, who have a super team from their clubs. We want them to bring their skills,” he added.
“This is Test rugby so it's different to what you see in club rugby on a Saturday afternoon. You can't always replicate that because the defending and attacking is much better in the Test arena.”
“Our performance against Scotland was not good enough, but we have to be at the top of our game to get the win against Ireland.”
“We have to accelerate that learning.”
Veteran prop Dan Cole could earn his 111th England cap if selected to play against Ireland, but Test rugby is usually “arm-wrestling” and attacking is “the cherry on top” It is said that it is.
“The coaches have been very clear about what they want from us. Against Scotland we had a game plan that we stuck to for 20 minutes and we did well. “Then we executed a game plan that stuck. I stopped doing that.”
“Test match rugby is usually an arm-wrestle until the last 20 minutes of the game, so you have to prepare as a team and learn how to beat yourself first.
“We have to have good defense and set-pieces and make sure we don’t give away tries or lose through contact. “Then we build on how we can actually press for games that we win at home. That’s the attack. This is it. is a very important part, the cherry on top.”
Cole, 36, was part of the England squad that reached the World Cup final in 2019 and was recalled to the squad for the next tournament in France four years later.
England narrowly missed out on eventual winners South Africa in last year's semi-final, but Cole says they overcame low expectations with a pragmatic approach to the game and there is a “method” to training.
“Ireland have spent a lot of time with their main group of players and they are team-mates at Leinster so they know each other inside and out, but in England they have a different set-up so that will accelerate that learning. There is a need,” Cole added.
“But there are some important things we learned from the World Cup, which is that if England do the right things they can be in the best position to win games, and we will make sure to apply that to a new group of players and It’s about building a great team.’ If they’re in the game with 10 to 15 minutes left, they have the ability to energize the game and take advantage of the opposition.
“It doesn't mean we're not trying to exploit them from the beginning, but the games are getting closer.” [early on]. There's a method to what we do in training, and it's all thought out. ”