Monday 5 March 2018 18:10, UK
French test set to be the most intriguing match-up of the Jones era, Scotland's championship ambitions and how Super Rugby is leading the evolution again. Read on for this week's talking points.
1. The pressure is on in Paris. France have been distinctly average in the competition to date but England's loss will have done wonders for French morale.
They were second best at home to Ireland in the opening round, yet for all the talk of their poor fitness levels, it wasn't a lack of stamina that cost them.
If they get a good start, adrenaline will take them a long way against their old rival. They have a dynamism in the carrying ability of their forwards that England have so far lacked.
However, France have real problems at fly-half. Whoever they select to wear the 10 shirt will be given a torrid time. The link at half-back between forwards and backs is frayed also.
But they will be bolstered by the returning presence of Mathieu Bastareaud. The big man has added subtle layers to his game without straying too far from his basic bludgeoning quality.
2. You can expect a war of words at some stage this week and maybe France will promise some pain down the George Ford channel.
I have been reading more than a few opinions that suggest the Leicester man should be dropped with Farrell shifting to 10 and Te'o to 12.
I disagree.
Ford hasn't proved any more of a liability in the tackle than Owen Farrell and while they both had an off day in Scotland, as a unit they remain the high-class creative core of the England team.
Tactically, they kicked poorly in round three. They also kicked too much. Against a French defence that can be slow to reorganise it makes sense to up the tempo from the start.
3. It also makes sense to move Chris Robshaw to six and start Sam Simmonds at seven. France are quick in the back-row and the Exeter man's searing pace can help counter the threat here.
With only two defeats in 26 games, England will experience pressure like they haven't yet felt under the tenure of Eddie Jones.
This is the first week when the possibility of consecutive defeats loom. For this reason alone this contest is one of the most intriguing of the Jones era.
4. There's no Grand Slam shoot-out to bring down the Six Nations curtain at Twickenham, but Ireland are still harbouring their own Grand Slam aspirations.
Last season, Joe Schmidt's team stopped England taking the clean sweep on the final Saturday of the tournament.
This year, the boot might just be on the other foot and England may well be the last team standing between Ireland and glory.
First, the favourites have to negotiate their way past a Scotland team who have fought back from their first-day Cardiff defeat to a position where they could yet win the title.
They've Italy last up and if they win in Dublin, Scotland will be a hard team to stop.
Saturday's game is set up beautifully. Scotland are on an upward curve that has arced from terrible to average to excellent. Ireland have been losing players to injury, but their depth and structures have kept them ticking over.
Ireland had a few defensive issues against Wales but Sexton conjured some sorcery - with his hands if not his boots - in attack.
Given home advantage and a Scotland side keen to prove themselves outside Edinburgh, Ireland are rightful favourites but few of us will be writing Scotland off before the game kicks off this time.
5. Wales versus Italy is the third game of the weekend and while Italy continue to keep trying, they face a Wales team who are playing some of the most creative rugby in Europe.
In recent years, they've taken their time to crack the Italians and then the points have flowed. It'll be no surprise if Wales start with a flurry of tries for the back three and keep it up for 80 minutes.
With the roof closed and the guaranteed decent conditions, look to see Wales try and run Italy off their feet.
6. Looking back on the weekend, a few thoughts spring to mind. The first was how good the Crusaders were for 25 minutes.
They are not even at full tilt yet and it's hard to imagine the Super Rugby crown being knocked from their collective head.
Their support play and running lines are a joy to watch while on a more prosaic level it was good to see them attack the Stormers' lineout in the first 20 minutes.
The fashion has long been not to compete but to set against the drive. However, the risk-reward of a steal (two tries were the result in this match-up) as opposed to harmlessly being driven 10 metres in the opposite half has, for too long, been overlooked.
Soon every team will get off the ground on other teams' throws in the other teams' halves. And not before time either.
7. I watched Angus Gardner call the Reds game with the Brumbies. I believe he is down to referee England versus Ireland. He is not afraid to give a scrum penalty and he plays long advantages for both knock-ons and penalties.
I am sure Joe Schmidt and Eddie Jones have taken note.
8. In the Premiership, Newcastle's storming run up the table continued as they took Gloucester's unbeaten Premiership home record. Four tries to two in Gloucester's favour but four match points to three for Dean Richards' men.
There were television shots of Dean Richards joining the Gloucester volunteers to clear the pitch of snow on the day before the match. Credit to the big man. Can you imagine Guardiola or Mourinho rolling up their sleeves and grabbing hold of a shovel?
9. A really entertaining game of PRO 14 rugby in Bloemfontein sent my heart out to Connacht, who rekindled memories of their glory year with some superb rugby against the rapid and free-flowing Cheetahs.
Beaten at the death, their play-off hopes are now all but extinguished but this was a tremendous effort from the former champions.
10. Finally, there have been some weird goings on in France. Stade have slid into the relegation zone after losing to Oyonnax while Agen beat league leaders, Montpellier.
Toulon were also taken down and Clermont got back on track with a win against a La Rochelle team whose wheels seem to have fallen off. Or, at the very least, they have suffered something of a slow puncture.
They'll need to fix it before the European quarter-final visit to the Scarlets.
