Ferris targets sweetest scalp

Stephen Ferris disputes the “arrogant” tag so often pegged on England but he will be more than happy if they live up to his opinion of them as “bad losers” at Twickenham on Saturday.

Ferris was named yesterday in an Ireland team to face the auld enemy in London this weekend showing just one change from the side which started the victory over Scotland last Saturday in Dublin. Fellow flanker Sean O’Brien will return to the back row following his recovery from a skin infection on his foot that kept him in hospital for much of last week. O’Brien had been a late withdrawal from the starting XV, replaced by Munster’s Peter O’Mahony, who made a big impression on his first Six Nations start in his third cap. Yet while Ireland enjoyed that victory over the Scots, a similar result this St Patrick’s Day against England will be celebrated much morefervently, Ferris said.

“You ask any team who do they like beating and it’s always the English. Why? I don’t know, it’s something I can’t really put my finger on,” Ferris said with a laugh. “To be honest, they’re a great side at the minute. We’re going to have to bring them through a lot of phases and make sure we keep a hold of the ball. If we’re as clinical as we were against Scotland then hopefully we can get the right result.”