Six Nations: Ireland's plan to overcome the 'Twickenham factor'

Eddie Jones doesn't have to say an awful lot to be accused of mind games these days.

His reputation precedes him, and his poker face remains unflinching. For a long time now Jones has enjoyed the knowledge that when he publicly makes a claim, a lengthy debate as to what he really means usually ensues.

He knows this all too well. He does not have to say anything particularly outlandish to get people talking.

Case in point this week when he confidently bestowed Ireland with the favourites tag. Applying a bit of pressure, or just voicing what appears to be the consensus among the bookies?

The same too can be said for his assertion that Ireland are the world's most cohesive team. Maybe just poking at the lingering frustration within three of Ireland's four provinces that the national team is heavily reliant on the Leinster conveyor belt — but again, not without a huge degree of truth.

Eleven of Ireland's starting team this weekend play for the same province; that's club-country cohesion unmatched by any other tier one nation.

Then, on Thursday, he predicted that Ireland would not have met such physical opposition for some time.

There is of course always the possibility that we're overthinking it. Maybe Jones isn't playing any mind games and completely believes everything he has said. In all honesty, this week it seems both are true.

Without saying anything outlandish, Jones has placed a public emphasis on a fact that has always and will continue to make Ireland a touch uncomfortable: they are playing England at Twickenham, and are expected to win.

An Irish team playing the type of rugby that this side has in the last year will always back themselves at home, so it's not the favourites tag that they don't like.

It is more the