Skip to content

Chris Robshaw says England are desperate to make amends for last year

England's flanker Chris Robshaw
Image: England captain Chris Robshaw: Silverware matters

Chris Robshaw has revealed the disappointment of missing out the Six Nations title last year is fuelling England's quest to lift the first piece of silverware of Stuart Lancaster's reign.

England ran in seven tries to crush Italy 52-11 in Rome last March and needed France to beat Ireland to claim the title.

However, Ireland upset the odds by claiming a 22-20 victory in Paris to pip England to the Six Nations crown by virtue of a points difference of just 10.

"It was tough to take. We wanted France to win which would have made us win. It's never nice when it's out of your hands. You want to control it and be able to influence it,” said Robshaw.

More from Six Nations 2015: Ireland V England

"When you're sat there hundreds of miles apart you're pretty helpless. We all had a beer together after and said 'we've got to continue learning from this'.

"We are getting better but it's one thing getting better, you've got to be picking up that silverware.

"Silverware matters to everyone. As a player you want to be judged on what you've won. It's all well and good picking up caps and playing 'x amount' of times for your country, which is incredible, but you want to win stuff.

"You want to win stuff for your country and be top of the pile come the end. No matter what it is, no matter what competition you're playing, you always want to be seen as successful."

Dublin hosts a seismic clash between the Six Nations' only two remaining unbeaten teams with Sunday's victors expected to go on and claim the title six months before the World Cup opens on home soil.

"Both sides know what this game means. We are fully aware that if you come out on top you put yourself in a very good position. So that's exactly what we've got to do," Robshaw said.

"I don't think guys need much motivation for this game. It's going to be built up, it's going to be exciting. Two great teams going at it.

"It's going to be nervy, it's going to be tense, there are going to be times when we can barely hear the guy two metres away because the crowd is so noisy.

"We've had some good results but Ireland have also got a lot of momentum going into this game. It's set up to be an extremely exciting one."

Around Sky