The Observer's Paul Rees talks to Stuart Lancaster about where he feels England are ahead of their Six Nations opener with Scotland.
"It has been forgotten, in the self-flagellation and mea culpas that followed England's wretched World Cup, that they go into the Six Nations next month as champions. They lost three matches in 13 in 2011, the same number of defeats that Wales and France suffered in New Zealand in the autumn.
Wales's World Cup was considered an unqualified success after they reached the semi-finals, but they finished the tournament two places lower in the world rankings than when it started. England went to New Zealand in fifth position and returned home in the same place, having clambered into the top four after the group stage. It is, as Stuart Lancaster, their interim head coach, mused last week, a matter of perception. Leaked reviews into what happened, however, painted a bleak picture of a group of players who had little respect for the management."
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