'Six Nations title is France's to lose after win over Ireland'

Matt Dawson

The Six Nations is France's to lose, but other sides have reasons to believe after two rounds.

I was never sure there was going to be a Grand Slam this year, but as the only unbeaten side France will fancy their chances.

There are three games to go, though. There is going to be a defining moment - like there always is in the Six Nations - that will turn a result on its head.

France are noticeably heavier in stature and more clinical in the way they play the game than the other sides. They are oozing confidence at the moment.

They look more threatening, powerful and skilful. Ireland came close to winning in Paris but France managed to finish it off. It is a talent to get over the line under that pressure.

After a dominant victory against Italy, England must think their destiny is in their own hands. They have to forget about their opening loss against Scotland because they are going in the right direction.

They will focus on their next game against Wales, who were much-improved in round two when they beat Scotland.

If England play with the accuracy and intensity they had against Italy, they should be really confident.

But they are going to be pushed to the limit against Ireland and France in the last two rounds. They face Ireland at Twickenham, then travel to Paris - which is a very different prospect.

If it comes down to a very close game against France I would still be concerned about England's lack of experience, but they have got the talent to win the game.

'Smith is like Carter'

Marcus Smith played brilliantly against Italy. It was not a fancy performance, it was more in the style of New Zealand great Dan Carter, where you thought he was just better than everyone else.

It was a bit like France scrum-half Antoine Dupont. He just does it every single time. That is how he plays the game and England are lucky they have got someone at fly-half to do that.

Smith made a try out of nothing, just using his brain, his skills and his footwork.

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We can see the way England are attacking. They are using the speed, vision and capabilities of Smith and they want a fast-paced game. They have got the type of players to play that throughout.

With that said, I am not sure Owen Farrell would get in the side at the moment.

Where are you going to put him? You are certainly not going to put him at 10.

Not even George Ford can play the way Smith is playing at the moment. England's game is increasingly based around what this kid can do.

I do not think Farrell goes in ahead of Joe Marchant or Henry Slade in the centre. Theirs is a really nice combination.

'Smith, Dombrandt and Randall were stars of the show'

As well as Smith, scrum-half Harry Randall and number eight Alex Dombrandt were fantastic.

Dombrandt made some hard yards and made a nuisance of himself with ball in hand. Randall gave it plenty of pace, intensity and accuracy.

Rome is not an easy place to have your Six Nations debut as a scrum-half, when you are being asked to run the game and implement the strategy with your eight and 10.

The three of them were the stars of the show with the organisation, the discipline, where they played the game and their decision-making.

If you don't do it in the opening 20 minutes in Italy, that is when they make it a bit difficult, as they did to France in the opening round. There was only one team in it and England were very clinical.

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'They deserve a chance to start at home'

With Wales up next, Jones has a tougher decision to make on who starts at eight and nine.

Dombrandt edges it for me at eight because of the extra bit of physicality he brings compared to Sam Simmonds.

If England are going to play at that sort of pace, you probably do have to think about whether you start Randall over Ben Youngs.

It is a big shout because it is a significantly tougher game than they faced against Italy.

With 18 months to go until the World Cup, if Jones thinks Dombrandt, Randall and Smith are going to be his eight, nine and 10 then he has to give them a run of games early to really test them under pressure.

I am not saying they are the finished articles, but they warrant the opportunity to start a home game in the Six Nations.

Those younger players coming through seem to have given some of the older heads a boost too.

You could definitely see there was a spring in Jamie George's step. I have not seen him like that for a while.

It is the same with Maro Itoje. I have not seen Elliot Daly play like that for years. There is less pressure on those guys.

They are obviously enjoying the way they are training and playing. That is going to stand them in good stead.

Six Nations Rugby Special will be on BBC Two from 18:00 GMT on Sunday, 27 February

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