Six Nations LIVE: Wales get England revenge as Scotland stars ‘out for the season’ | Rugby | Sport

Former England winger Jonny May has claimed that Steve Borthwick’s stars are « bricking it » as they await to find out whether they will play against Ireland.

Borthwick is not afraid of tinkering with his team based on form and the opposition, but May has shone a light on the camp and how they will be feeling before the England team is named.

« I do feel sorry for the players sometimes, » he told The Good, The Bad and The Rugby podcast. « I don’t know any other country that changes around with selection as much as England. How many games has one centre partnership gone in a row? It’s Fordy (George Ford) with those two centres (Henry Slade and Ollie Lawrence) and then (George) Furbank at full-back.

« Fraser Dingwall has done a good job for two weeks, Ollie Lawrence has been unbelievable in the Premiership but then it’s like, ‘OK, now we’ve lost, that wasn’t the answer, we need to change it’. That’s where it’s hard because you’re thinking, ‘bloody hell, I’ve got one game here to nail it or else I’m out.’

« I’ve been there, they will all be bricking it. They will be coming in thinking, ‘Am I getting picked?’ You’re spending two weeks feeling sick wondering if you’re going to get picked. That feeds into how you play as well. If you’ve used up all your anxious energy and stress before you’ve even got to the game to get picked, it’s difficult to perform.

« Any player would say consistency and trust, if it’s given to you by a coach, is without doubt the best way to develop partnerships, the best way to perform, the best way to have confidence. I just feel stressed on behalf of the players.”