Six Nations – England determined to emulate Will Carling’s heroes

The players are not simply determined to be the first English side since 1992 to complete back-to-back grand slams but are also motivated by the chance to overhaul New Zealand’s world record of 18 successive Test victories by a tier-one nation.

Of course, as things transpired, this is clearly not the case anymore and England head-coach, Eddie Jones, provided a firm, painful reminder of Ireland’s favouritism before the tournament began.

“It’s very humbling to get them cheering me like that, although I believe it was more for Nathan Hughes coming off because he had a stormer”.

‘Brian O’Driscoll was a very good player so I am very honoured to join the club, ‘ said Joseph, who scored his other global hat-trick against Italy previous year.

“We started well and generally our intensity in the game was pretty good”, Jones said. We’re ready to go to another level against Ireland this week.

– England have won their last 10 Six Nations games, equalling the tournament record set by them twice before (1882 to 1886 and 1922 to 1925).

Jones said: “If we were to get beaten – and we won’t – is it a failure?”

Of course, the other principal positive to take from Saturday is that it will be many a long day before we see Scotland play quite so badly against a team that is playing quite so well.

Scotland’s plight was so bad they were forced to kick a penalty in the England 22 into touch with 27 minutes gone but it produced their first points. There’s a perception that this year has been better and it probably has been, but you’ve still got to win and to win it you’ve got to stay undefeated.

Hansen, who guided the All Blacks to the 2015 Rugby World Cup, hopes both teams will be at full strength when they eventually meet and lives up to the inevitable pre-match hype.

England captain Dylan Hartley and team mates celebrate with the Calcutta Cup after their demolition of Scotland.

Care knows Ireland will try and pounce on any weaknesses but added: “We just have to focus on ourselves and we will give Ireland the respect they deserve”.

The first savage wound to Scotland was self-inflicted when their hooker Fraser Brown went to the sin bin in the second minute for a tip tackle on England wing Elliot Daly.

Saracen’s Billy Vunipola made a try-scoring return as England routed Scotland in the RBS 6 Nations.

England’s rugby coach Eddie Jones said during a press conference on Thursday that his four-legged pooch had caused an injury to his key man and goal kicker, Owen Farrell.