Lancaster confident England’s newcomers can confront Irish

They got their championship up and moving with an impressive 20-0 win over Scotland at Murrayfield on Saturday, retaining the Calcutta Cup for a sixth successive season.

It means, although they lost their opener narrowly in Paris, England can still push on and win the tournament, but they will face a real examination when Ireland arrive at Twickenham on February 22.

Joe Schmidt’s side remain on course for the Grand Slam after a 26-3 destruction of champions Wales in Dublin.

That opens the way for a dream finish for rugby great Brian O’Driscoll, the veteran Ireland and British Lions centre who will retire at the end of the season.

Romanticists hopes the iconic player can go out on a high and the 35-year-old was certainly to the fore in helping his side vanquish the favourites at the weekend.

He is set to go up against Luther Burrell, the former Leeds Carnegie centre who has adapted swiftly to international rugby, scoring his second try in as many games to help defeat Scotland.

With his Northampton team-mate Courtney Lawes imperious too at Murrayfield it seems he is geared for a titanic battle with Irish and Lions veteran Paul O’Connell at second-row, prompting suggestions there could be a changing of the guard in European rugby.

When asked if his youthful side – who ignored dreadful conditions to demonstrate a real willingness to play expansive rugby at the weekend – are ready for such meetings, Lancaster was sure in his response.

“I think we are ready to back them,” he said.

“(With Ireland) our lads are fortunate in they’ve seen a lot of them in the Heineken Cup.

“The Northampton lads are acutely aware of how good they (O’Driscoll and co) can be but, secondly, are also acutely aware if you get your intensity right they can be beaten as well.

“They are a very good attacking side and offensively I think they are going to challenge us.

“I’ve not seen the whole of that game yet but two or three tries came from mauls and they certainly caused problems there.

“Defensively and up front we have to be on our mettle but equally we’ve got threats of our own as well. We’ve shown that against Scotland and in France.”

Lancaster believes England made a “statement” with the win at Murrayfield, especially as they kept their opponents scoreless in the famous fixture for the first time in 36 years.

When asked if they would expect to be crowned champions if they prosper at Twickenham, he replied: “It’ll be interesting to see. I think points difference might come into it yet. But we go one step at a time. Ultimately I had a sense it would be very difficult for Wales (on Saturday) and Ireland will be coming to Twickenham confident.”

He praised the midfield of Burrell and Billy Twelvetrees, too, and said even if British Lion centre Manu Tuilagi returns from injury, they each deserve to keep their places “without doubt.”

England reconvene at their training base tonight with Lancaster expected to release all his Scotland bench players after training tomorrow in readiness for some Premiership action at the weekend.

Match report: Page 7.