When Eddie Jones talks about wanting England to be hungry as they hunt a third Six Nations title in a row, he is speaking literally when it comes to Courtney Lawes. Described as being “built like a basketball player who struggles to keep his weight up”, Lawes, who is 6ft 7in tall and listed as weighing 17st 7lb on the RFU website, has developed a penchant for club sandwiches at England’s hotel – so much so that Jones can tell which bedroom he is in by the empty tray outside the door.
Lawes’s appetite is equally metaphorical. He has developed into arguably England’s most consistent performer, whether it be in the second row or at blindside flanker, and he has done so despite an alarming amount of rugby in the past two seasons. Last term he was less than two matches shy of the arbitrary game limit (32 lots of 80 minutes), if British & Irish Lions matches counted – for reasons unclear, they do not – and he is the tourist with the most domestic minutes played this season.
‘The day we almost outfoxed England’: an oral history of Italy’s cunning ruse | Andy Bull
“I’ve given everything I can for these last couple of years,” he said. “It only makes me hungrier to go on and see how far I can push myself and how good a player I can become.
“I’ve been fit and it’s very hard to find a peak when you’re not playing consistently. Eddie took charge and he challenged me to become a better player. I took on the challenge and I’m on my way.
“I feel really good. I’m ready to get into this tournament. The main thing is I’ve been able to keep my strength up, I’m making better decisions as a player on the field, using technique rather than trying to hit things, which helps a lot. Then it’s just luck and hopefully that continues.”
To accuse Lawes of coasting when he first broke on to the international scene in 2009 would be harsh but competition for places in his position then pales in comparison to now and at 28, with four children after the arrival of twins in December, he is in the prime of his career and the peak of his powers.
“Sometimes you need a bit of a kick up the bum to make you realise you’re wasting your potential in certain ways,” he said. “I didn’t necessarily know what you’ve got to put into it to get there.”
As England prepare to face Italy on Sunday, they appear light in the ball-carrying department without Billy Vunipola and Nathan Hughes but that, along with his footwork, have been two areas of marked improvement for Lawes. “I am one of the main ball-carriers in the pack, certainly this time round,” he said. “I definitely see that as part of my influences on a game: ball-carrying, tackling, general collisions, impact work.
Six Nations predictions: England and Ireland may be heading for decider
“I prefer playing at six because you get to make more tackles and spend more time in the looser play. That means you’ll get a couple more carries in the game, which is a good thing for me. I’ll play wherever I’m picked, but I definitely prefer playing six.”
Lawes will be named in a strong-looking England starting XV on Friday, with Mike Brown expected to feature at full-back and Jack Nowell primed to be involved after recovering from an ankle injury.
The loosehead Alec Hepburn is in line for an England debut at some stage but there may be a surprise at tighthead with Harry Williams pushing hard for a first Six Nations start and Jones mindful of Wales’s visit to Twickenham six days after England face Italy.
The latest indications are that Jonathan Joseph is set to edge out Ben Te’o at outside-centre, with Danny Care pushing for the scrum-half spot and Sam Simmonds in line to start at No 8.