The rest of the Six Nations must “watch out” for an England side who have learned hard lessons under Steve Borthwick, according to Harlequins scrum-half Danny Care.

The 38-year-old retired from international rugby with England after last year’s Six Nations, and though the side are on a run of four straight championships without a top-two finish, Care says he is hopeful England are close to succeeding again.

For five Six Nations campaigns in succession between 2019 and 2023, Care was left out of the England set-up by Eddie Jones and then Borthwick, before being brought back into the fold by the latter for last year’s championship, on the back of being included in England’s 2023 Rugby World Cup squad.

England suffered defeats to each of New Zealand, South Africa and Australia in the autumn, but Care says the learnings from such a period could mean this Six Nations is the moment England truly come to life and fulfil their promise under Borthwick.

“They’re getting there. In the autumn they learned some really hard lessons, but lessons you almost have to go through as a younger squad. I feel they’ll be a better team come this tournament for what happened in the autumn,” Care told Sky Sports at a promotion event for Greene King.

“You sometimes learn more about your losses than you do your wins, and if England can just slightly turn the dial a little bit in that last 10 or 20 minutes and find ways to win these big games, then everybody better watch out because the squad depth and potential in that squad is massive.

“We all just want to see it on the pitch for 80 minutes and hopefully Saturday’s the one. I’ve got this funny feeling they might do something special against Ireland on Saturday in Dublin and really kick-start the tournament.”

Borthwick’s time in charge of the national side has produced mixed results. Fourth and third-place Six Nations finishes have sandwiched a World Cup run to the semi-finals when they pushed eventual winners South Africa to the brink.

Last year’s last-gasp victory over a Grand Slam-chasing Ireland in Round 4 seemed to herald the arrival of Borthwick’s England, but the side have gone on to lose six of the next seven Tests – albeit against difficult opposition in France, New Zealand (three times), South Africa and Australia.

“Steve’s brilliant. He’s an unbelievable tactician,” Care says. “He knows the game so well and just wants the very best for English rugby. He really does.

“He really cares about the lads that are playing for him and he just wants to give them opportunities to go and show what they can do.

“I’m fully behind this England team and really do feel they’re on a great trajectory. Hopefully it starts with a Six Nations win.

“I’m actually going to Dublin to watch on Saturday, which I can’t wait to do as a fan.”

‘France the favourites, Ireland going for unbelievable history, Scotland’s chance?’

Off the back of a Grand Slam in 2023 and successful title defence in 2024, Ireland seek what no side has ever achieved in the history of the Six Nations: three title wins in a row.

France have a certain Antoine Dupont returning, though, and Care puts Les Bleus as his favourites for the championship.

“This is where you really realise how much rugby means to you and the whole family. Everyone gets up in the morning, they put their shirt on, you watch the Six Nations, it’s almost like a rite of passage. You can’t wait for it to kick off.

“I do think France are favourites. I know Ireland are going for their third in a row, which has never been done before and would be unbelievable, but I feel like France with Antoine Dupont, if he stays fit and they get firing, are going to be incredibly hard to stop.

“Having said that, this is the best tournament in the world and anyone could beat anyone, which is amazing. I’m really hopeful for England and I think Scotland, if they’re ever going to win it, this might be the year.

“That’s why it’s so special. You’ve got probably four teams there all thinking they could or should win it.

“Then you’ve got Wales and Italy. Wales are desperate for a win and Italy, I think, will beat a couple of teams this tournament. It’s going to be incredible.

“It’s mad to think it’s the 25th year anniversary. It’s the most special tournament in the world for me.”

‘Dupont will go down as greatest rugby player ever’

France and Toulouse scrum-half Dupont missed the 2024 Six Nations in order to prioritise sevens at the Olympic Games, going on to secure gold in Paris over the summer.

As someone who plays the same position on the rugby pitch, Care is well placed to wax lyrical over Dupont’s talents, but the Frenchman’s quality goes well beyond that of a scrum-half, says Care. In fact, he says Dupont is the best there has ever been in the sport.

“I think he will go down as the best player ever. I really think he will. People say he hasn’t won a World Cup yet, but it’s a team sport, not an individual thing.

“What he’s doing on the rugby field is nothing short of miraculous and it’s week in, week out. Consistent brilliance is the way I describe it.

“He doesn’t have bad games, just keeps raising and raising his level and no one’s worked him out yet. He just has this way of impacting every game and is operating on a whole different level at the minute.”