Billy Twelvetrees ready for ‘huge mental challenge’ when England take on Ireland

Ireland begin a short training camp in Galway today, with England firmly in their sights and vengeance in their minds 12 days out from an RBS 6 Nations clash in Dublin that head coach Joe Schmidt is already billing as monumental.

The showdown with the Auld Enemy is never short on hyperbole but there is an added air of expectation this time for a number of reasons, not least Ireland’s narrow defeat at Twickenham a year ago.

That was the only loss inflicted on Schmidt’s side in 2014 and the men in green have since gone on a nine-match unbeaten run that has included a championship-clinching victory over France in Paris, November Test wins over South Africa and Australia and a unbeaten start to the 2015 Six Nations after getting past Italy and the French in the last two weeks.