England's Three Thorns

What a difference a year makes, after slumping to their worst ever finish in the Six Nations in 2018, England are back to their rip-roaring best, full of swagger, and dominant at the top of the table heading into Round 3. The revival has come about by rediscpvering what made them great under Eddie Jones when he first took over and then turning it up another notch. So what exactly is England's game plan, and what is making it so hard to stop at the moment?

England a roaring once again, lead by a beautiful centre combination in Tuilagi and Slade.

"Eddieball"
For the first time in his tenure, Eddie Jones finally felt like he was able to select the players he wanted, with very few people injured. England's attacking methodology has always been questioned under Jones, like it was on pause until he found his players. England are focused on winning every collision, charging hard into defenders with massive ball carriers and forcing the defence onto the back foot. Any team with both Vunipolas, Manu Tuilagi, Kyle Sinckler, and Jamie George will pack a serious punch in the carrying game. But Eddie Jones has got his charges operating at another level.

The Vunipola's are now not the only ball carriers,
which allows them to have a bigger impact.

It's a game plan that feels awfully familiar in the Six Nations, "Warrenball" was built around similar principles - if applied slightly differently. Eddie Jones has evolved it to suit his needs, operating his big runners primarily off the scrum-half, punching into the point between the ruck guards and the "10 channel". It's a clever idea since that area often sees a slight disconnect in the defensive system. And because they have a seemingly endless supply of runners Ben Youngs can get the ball moving before the defence gets a chance to set up. Very quickly the effect snowballs, England are making significant yards, defence gets sucked in, and space appears out wide.

It's brutal, simple, effective rugby executed by a scrum-half at the top of his game right now.

Kick to Win
Let's state the obvious, like with the ball carrying tactic, Eddie Jones has picked his players to play this game plan. Farrell, Slade and Daly all possess well-curated boots which can unlock a defence and provide defensive clearances. And because they are all spread across the park it means they can kick from anywhere, at any time, with all manner of kicks which keeps opposition back three players constantly on their toes and under pressure. Owen Farrell is especially masterful at identifying the space that's been creating and exploiting it.

May is the most improved winger in world rugby
in recent years, loving his role with Eddie Jones.

But a kick is only as good as its chase, which is where the greyhound Jonny May comes in. He is a lone blitzer using his raw pace to make the fullback - or covering player - extremely uncomfortable. Behind him the classic kick chase spreads across the pitch, so even if the opposition somehow gets away from May, they're quickly stopped by the second wave.
given license to hare after any and all kicks he feels he can get near,

Even after all that threat, there is yet another ace in Eddie Jones' deck, and it was highlighted in the win against Ireland. England run a different box kicking strategy to every team on the planet, basically everyone else kicks to contest, hang a ball in the air so that their chaser can compete in the air and try and win the ball back. England, however, kick the ball about a yard or two deeper than would be required for that plan. Instead, they want the opposition fullback to catch the ball, and then the moment his feet hit the turf utterly smash him into the ground with a forceful tackle. It's risky, but so far it's paid off repeatedly, allowing England to swamp the ensuing ruck and win the ball back in an even more chaotic manner.

It's a more subtle use of the brutal rugby which underpins the Eddie Jones ethos. And also brings us on to the final weapon.

In an event I never thought possible, England executed a better box kicking game than Ireland. Youngs is
laying down a marker ahead of the World Cup for is game management skills.

Blitzkrieg Defence
England initially under Eddie Jones was a team very much defined by their defence, it's what won them games on the regular, that and Farrell's peerless goal kicking. When the defensive strength waned, the results went away and England floundered. But it's back again, and back with force under John Mitchell.

Mitchell has brought back the bite to England's defence,
and increasing the aggression tenfold.

England operates a blitz defence unlike anything I've seen, it's organised chaos. Much like the points above, it is an evolution of an established tactic in global rugby. Utilising the conventional umbrella defence but adding a touch more aggression to it. Conventional logic is to force the opponent back in the inside channels, England instead don't care what the opposition decide to do, they just want to tackle man-and-ball behind the gain line. Each player gunning hard for their opposite number risking the doglegs in favour of a massive payout. It either results in interceptions - see Slade's try against Ireland - or penalties and turnovers.

Not only that but it also provides a major psychological weapon, with constant punishing tackles forcing teams backwards, they end up getting frustrated and tired. Which usually ends in them kicking the ball back to England, basically it generates another turnover.

Eddie Jones is a confident man who loves putting the
pressure on the opposition, and now so is his team.

Defence isn't just denying the opposition points for England, it's actively used as a way to get the ball back. Something England often struggled to do before, due to their lack of a traditional openside flanker. Instead they've found ways to work around their weakness and get the ball back in a different way.

In a Nutshell
England have set out their brand under Eddie Jones for all to see. "We win the gainline battle, with aggression in both attack and defence, we play risky to make you uncomfortable, and we win the ball back our own way". The question remains can someone call their bluff any time soon and stop the rampaging chariot?