Freddie Steward has heralded England’s first match at Twickenham since the World Cup as a chance to “draw a line in the sand”. They were booed off the field after their last home match and he hopes supporters will “erupt” when Wales visit in the Six Nations on Saturday.

England suffered their initial defeat to Fiji in their previous game at Twickenham in August, with fans expressing their disappointment afterwards. This disconnect persisted at the World Cup, as supporters were heard booing during the team’s strong performances against Argentina in the first match and their loss to South Africa in the semi-finals.

Afterwards, Jamie George took over as captain for Owen Farrell and the Saracens hooker has talked about enhancing the Twickenham experience with the team and the Rugby Football Union. England will come to Twickenham on Saturday with confidence after their first victory against Italy, and Steward has urged fans to contribute to making the home stadium a strong defensive position.

The Leicester Tigers full-back stated that the team has discussed ways to make Twickenham a challenging environment for opponents and a place where they can perform at their best.

We are grateful to have such amazing supporters who contribute to our success. Returning to our home field symbolizes a new beginning for our team. It marks the start of a new phase with new players and coaches, giving us the opportunity to make a fresh start and set new goals.

“When representing England as a player, there is an expectation to win. Therefore, when the team does not win, it is understandable that the fans may not be supportive. This was evident during the warm-up matches.”

“When we reached the semi-final of the World Cup, it was a glimpse of what we strive for. As athletes, we crave that feeling constantly, but we must perform on the field to earn it. Our fans are the lifeblood of our team and we aim to create an electric atmosphere at Twickenham, making it a place we eagerly anticipate playing and representing them.”

I would never point fingers at the fans and suggest that they should motivate the players. They support us based on our performance, so the accountability lies with us.

England is currently anticipating that Ollie Lawrence from Bath will be able to participate in their match against Scotland on February 24th. This is based on the information shared by their attack coach, Richard Wigglesworth, who mentioned the possibility of Lawrence joining the team’s training this week.

Lawrence’s hip injury has forced him to sit out and there were initial concerns that he would not be able to participate in the entire tournament. England felt the absence of his ability to break through the gain line in their close win against Italy and although he will also be absent for the game against Wales, there is a possibility that he may return for the match at Murrayfield.

The English team is optimistic that George Martin, a lock from Leicester, will be able to play against Scotland while currently in training at Bagshot. According to Wigglesworth, Ollie Lawrence may join the team later this week or next week, but he will not be playing this weekend. Martin is currently in camp for rehabilitation and will not be playing this weekend.

Source: theguardian.com