6 Nations Betting: Back Nowell to keep Eddie on course for Grand Slam

Ralph Ellis
08 March 2017

Whistle blower - Did Eddie Jones give his team away?

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England coach Eddie Jones is plotting team changes for the Calcutta Cup clash. Ralph Ellis sees some clues for some of the Six Nations markets.

"It is Nowell’s place in the starting line-up that most interests me. At 14.5 he’s an appealing outsider in the betting to be the Six Nations top try scorer."

It's become the favourite way to leak a bit of political planning. You get somebody to walk into Downing Street with an open pad, their notes are photographed, and the world knows what you're thinking of.

It was done most recently by Ministers discussing Brexit strategy, as Conservative MP Mark Field's chief of staff Julia Dockerill left a meeting showing her scribble including the memorable objective for the Government to "have their cake and eat it."

Stage two of the strategy is that you neither confirm nor deny what's been seen. It might be a leak, or just a great way of giving out misinformation to the opposition.

Has Eddie Jones been watching Theresa May and learning? Or was he simply careless in allowing two white boards at a training session with his team plans for the Calcutta Cup to get photographed? They suggest that Billy Vunipola is being rushed straight back into the team with Jonathan Joseph, Ben Youngs and Jack Nowell also set for recalls to the starting XV.

It has become a pivotal match against a vastly improved Scotland side who have now scored wins against both Ireland and Wales, running in seven tries in the process. England are 1.251/4 in the Match Odds to extend their winning run but it will be no formality so you wouldn't blame Jones for indulging in a bit of skulduggery.

The return of Vunipola has naturally been the headline news. But it's actually Nowell's place in the starting line-up that most interests me. At 14.5 he's an appealing outsider in the betting to be the Six Nations top try scorer.

Scotland's Stuart Hogg is currently the 2.8815/8 favourite as one of five players with three tries to their name, but with the advantage of a final game against Italy. But if Jones really is bringing him back, and not just playing games with the whiteboards, then Nowell has an outstanding chance to catch up.

He has had his own injury issues, after missing five months with a torn quadricep. He's revealed how he filled the boring time when he had to stick at home resting by building Lego models, but since getting fit he's restored his international standing brick by brick.

Kept to only the final 12 minutes of the opening win against France, Nowell then played a heroic defensive role with some massive tackles to help pave the way for the win against Wales in Cardiff. And he then showed the explosive attacking side to his game with two tries after coming on for the final 25 minutes against Italy.

That's the potential that Jones will be seeking to unleash now as he aims to mastermind a Twickenham win against the Scots that should pave the way for a Grand Slam in Dublin a week later.

Vunipola and Youngs will both play a crucial role in getting faster ball from the forwards to give the backs a bit more chance and Nowell has proved that, given the right service, he has both the pace and the finishing ability to get over the line. Between them they should allow England to both have their cake at Twickenham and eat it.