Tommy Freeman has admitted that England understand supporters’ frustrations amid a chorus of boos during the scrappy victory over Scotland but believes Steve Borthwick’s side are still alive in the Six Nations title race after back-to-back wins.
Borthwick has revealed that Freeman’s Northampton teammate George Furbank is unlikely to feature in the final two matches against Italy and Wales, having previously suggested he could, but England head into the second fallow week third in the table with favourable fixtures to come.
While Saturday’s 16-15 victory ended a run of four straight defeats by Scotland and was a first against the auld enemy at Twickenham since 2017, supporters made their feelings clear over England’s route one approach and could be heard groaning and jeering as Alex Mitchell and Fin Smith put boot to ball. The former captain Will Carling described England’s victory as “very ugly” while the World Cup winner Will Greenwood said that “they simply play no rugby”.
Related: England’s iron-chinned boxers get on the right side of ifs and buts | Andy Bull
Scotland managed three tries to England’s one – a controversial score by Freeman amid uncertainty over whether he grounded the ball – but the 23-year-old winger sought to explain his side’s approach. “Our strategy is either to go long and find some grass and keep them down in that end, and then hopefully get the ball even further up or off transition,” said Freeman. “Or we go to that contestable kick, and hope you’ll get some good rewards off of having a loose ball and hopefully getting some ball back and then unstructured defences off the back of it. So there’s a strategy to it. We understand it can get too much.”
After a couple of days off, England will convene on Wednesday for a training camp in York with Borthwick hopeful that Tom Curry and Tom Willis will both be available to face Italy. Curry looked in severe distress when hobbling off against Scotland but Borthwick revealed he was suffering from a dead leg while Willis sustained a head injury and will go through the return to play protocols.
George Martin, who was absent against Scotland after dropping out of the squad with a knee problem, is also expected to be available but Furbank is likely to miss England’s run-in as he continues his recovery from a broken arm. “It’s going to be very, very tight to play in the championship given he’s not played, but he’s on track healing-wise,” said Borthwick. “George Martin, all being well, everything should be right for the last part of the championship.”
After France’s thumping 73-24 victory over Italy on Sunday, their trip to Dublin to face Ireland in the next round looks pivotal in the title race. England will need results to go their way in the final two rounds but can look forward to a home match against the Azzurri knowing victory would definitely keep them in the hunt going into the last weekend of the championship.
Asked if England can still win the title, Freeman added: “It’s not beyond the bounds of possibility at all. But we’ll just keep focusing on our training each week. Just focus on what we can, what’s in front of us. We know these two games coming up aren’t going to be easy. Italy have come on leaps and bounds, and they’ll be putting up a fight, and then it’s Wales away. We’ll be looking to take each game as it comes.”
