‘Huge’ win could signal brave new world for Ireland

The championship starts here, or so Ireland hope as Joe Schmidt sends his new-look team onto the Twickenham pitch today in a bid to kick-start the champions’ RBS 6 Nations campaign at the third attempt.

There is no doubt that facing unbeaten England on their home turf and with their tails up at the start of the post-World Cup, Eddie Jones era is asking an awful lot of the young men the Irish head coach is entrusting to do that job.

It may backfire and when it does at Twickenham it has often ended horribly for Ireland teams.