Courtney Lawes insists England enter Saturday’s Six Nations clash with Wales intent on unsettling Rhys Patchell.
Eddie Jones has questioned whether Patchell, his team’s third choice fly-half, has the “bottle” to reproduce his heroics in the round one thumping of Scotland in the more challenging environment of Twickenham.
Lawes is England’s most ferocious tackler, but the Northampton lock insists England will “hunt” Wales as a collective rather than look to rely on any one player.
“Patchell’s a good player. He’s quick and he’s got some skills, but as a team we’ll put him under pressure and make it very difficult for him,” Lawes said.
Rhys Patchell will feel like he has a target on his back at Twickenham.
“We’re hunting Wales this week. It honestly doesn’t matter who is running down my channel or who is in front of me, I’m there to do my job and make an effective tackle.
“But I’m not going to fly out of the line and try to make a difference myself. That’s not what the team needs from me. We’re going to get off the line and hunt Wales as a team.
“We have prepared very diligently and we know their key men and the people we need to keep an eye on.
“They have great players throughout their team and it is on us to be able to contain them and put pressure back on them.”
