After defeating the French to open the tournament with three consecutive victories, England looked odds on to win last year’s Six Nations until it all came crashing down with an embarrassing performance in Cardiff. The coaching staff has been busy since then, but that game will no doubt stick out in their minds as they prepare for this year’s assault on the championship. Their chance at revenge will come in the fourth round, this time in London, a match that could very well decide the title once again.

Injuries are inevitable at this level, and the absence of Lions Alex Corbisiero, Geoff Parling, Tom Croft, and Christian Wade are blows, but not terminal ones. Likewise Marland Yarde, David Wilson, and Ben Foden, all of whom valuable though not integral, though Wilson would be welcomed back post haste should he make a quick recovery from his ankle problem.

One man’s agony is another’s opportunity, however, and the likes of Henry Thomas, Jonny May, and Dave Attwood will come in from the fringes to fill the gaps. New lads Ed Slater, Jack Nowell, and Anthony Watson are in with a shout at first caps, and let’s not forget the arrival of George Ford in the squad. With Toby Flood opting to head to France, Stuart Lancaster has decided that now is the time to bring in the former Tiger, though chances are had Flood not taken that route the decision would not have been any different.

The continued absence of Manu Tuilagi, however, is more considerable. With Joel Tomkins and Jonathan Joseph also out, England are left without a genuine outside centre, and are instead expected to field either Brad Barritt or Luther Burrell in the unfamiliar role. Burrell is a similar player in terms of size and physicality, but has no experience at test level and will be challenged in defense. Barritt is a defensive wizard but is only fresh back from injury and not a dynamic attacker. It is a real question mark for Stuart Lancaster.

That said the strength of this team is in the pack, and in that instance they look powerful as ever. Joe Launchbury and Courtney Lawes are potentially the best second row pairing in the championship, and in Billy Vunipola and Ben Morgan they have two thunderous ball carriers capable of breaching any wall put in front of them. If Owen Farrell can kick his goals the question of creativity might not matter.

If England can win in Paris to kick things off, they will be in good shape to challenge at the business end. They have both Ireland and Wales at home, a big boost, and even if they win only one of the two they could still be in with a shout for the title. The top half of the table is a near-certainty, the title might be another year away. Expect the big prize to elude them, but in far more dramatic fashion than it did ten months ago.

HEAD COACH – Stuart Lancaster

The former Leeds head man has been a breath of fresh air since his appointment in 2011, earning the respect of his players and the public alike with his up-front man management skills and no-nonsense approach to selection. In fact, there have been few gripes at all with those who have worn the English shirt in his time, and even those that have stuck out appear to be moving themselves down the pecking order. He has a strong leadership group, including Lions coaches Graham Rowntree and Andy Farrell, and after failing at the final hurdle against Wales they will be focussed on raising their game this time around.

CAPTAIN – Chris Robshaw

Desperately unlucky not to make the Lions tour, the Harlequins talisman remains a key man for his country. He rarely makes mistakes and never gives short of his best effort. The obvious criticism of him is his perceived lack of pace to the breakdown, but his lines of running tend to make up for this, and with closest competitor Matt Kvesic out of form and still looking like a work in progress, he should be expected to retain the no7 jersey through to the World Cup.

KEY PLAYER – Dan Cole

If there is one position where England are desperately short it is at tighthead prop. With David Wilson out of commission, Henry Thomas is the man who will provide cover and while he is certainly a top prospect for the future, it would be a worrying thing, to say the least, should Cole go down injured. He has looked a little tired lately, however, given that he hasn’t had his former clubmate Martin Castrogiovanni to cover for him at Leicester, so his time will have to be managed carefully to avoid disaster.

ONE TO WATCH – Billy Twelvetrees

So much talent and yet we haven’t really seen the best of the Gloucester vice-captain yet. He made a strong impression in the first half of last year, culminating in a brief appearance on the Lions tour, but his form has not been strong since. It’s not unusual for dips to come after such a long season, and with a player of his class it’s only a question of time before he regains his confidence. If England are to threaten in attack, it will have to come quickly.

FUTURE STAR – Jack Nowell

Most of the tongue-wagging in recent days has been for Anthony Watson, but before Christmas it was the young Exeter dynamo who was on top of the hot list. His ability to play wing, fullback, and outside centre, long-term probably his best position, makes him an ideal candidate for the bench, but it looks as though Lancaster will give him the first crack at the contentious right wing spot. Not the biggest back but exceptionally strong, his attacking prowess is not up for debate, though his defense is still very much a work in progress.