Jeremy Guscott: England must beware the day of the jackal

You cannot help but be impressed by the Irish team since Joe Schmidt took over. The game against New Zealand might have been seen as a high point, much as a football team's response to a new manager, but the performances against Scotland and Wales in the Six Nations have taken things on.
Schmidt is one of the world's best coaches. His stay with Clermont took the French club to a higher level, and his time at Leinster turned them from a side who could play the occasional big game into one which could deliver consistently at the highest level, including winning two Heineken Cup titles.
Schmidt has the reputation of being a master tactician. From what I hear the New Zealander is very analytical, he looks at the opposition in depth, and then he develops a game plan to beat them.
Against Scotland the Irish did a good job, but the performance against Wales was in a different league. It was one of the most clinical displays I've seen in the Six Nations. In terms of a game plan it was based on kick-chase-maul, so nothing revolutionary there, but in terms of quality of execution Ireland have stepped up a level.
The tactical kicking was pinpoint, with Johnny Sexton, Conor Murray and Rob Kearney always putting Wales under pressure. The first Irish try not only pinched Welsh ball with a turnover, but when Sexton knocked it into the corner forcing Leigh Halfpenny to concede a lineout, Chris Henry scored from a driving maul.
Ireland have also developed a new breakdown weapon. They now have the ‘chop and jackal' as well as the choke tackle. The method is to hunt in pairs and for a tackler to go low and chop the ball-carrier down while the second man jackals for the turn-over.
It was effective against the Welsh with Peter O'Mahony deservedly man of the match and Sexton also winning his share of turnovers. The Irish side is in ‘sync', which is not a surprise because they know each other so well, and the squad is littered not just with seasoned internationals but with Lions Test stars.
However Schmidt has managed to mould the Leinster-Munster-Ulster triumvirate into a very effective side in double quick time. Having come so close to beating New Zealand, the Irish also believe that now they can beat anyone.
One of their standouts is Cian Healy, the loosehead who set out his stall against the All Blacks by making a statement that he would not bow down to the haka.
Healy is still young, and in a place where he could comfortably become the best No.1 in the world. The Irishman is not renowned as a scrummager, but he has improved and is now pretty solid. My view is that loosehead props are the new tightheads in terms of influence, and that it is now more about technique in the scrum – and that players like Healy have benefited from this.
Another bonus is that Sexton appears to have come to terms with playing in France, and with star players lifestyle and balance off the field does matter. The Irish fly-half is putting the ball exactly where he wants to – it's as if the ball is on the end of a string.
Schmidt's analysis of England's weaknesses will be fascinating. I thought England fell off the pace against France, irrespective of the replacements debate. England seemed more tired than France in the last 15 minutes, which was a surprise. I'm sure that will not have been lost on Schmidt.
Ireland could go all out to blitz England with a fast game, but so far the Irish have played structured, territorial rugby, and it has been very effective. They are proving what a simple game it is, creating pressure positions and scoring points from them. It is a game for the purists, but that doesn't mean to say that it is boring – the execution is too good for that.
Ireland are not overly concerned with possession – they take the view that it is what you do with the ball that counts. It's about capitalising on your field position by being accurate at the right time.
England have also shown precision, and it is staggering that they did not have to make a tackle in their own 22 against Scotland. What is also notable is that England have attacked more than Ireland – however, what will be important is whether they can compete with the kicking bombardment from Sexton, Murray and Kearney.
How Mike Brown, Jonny May and Jack Nowell cope with the Irish high ball, and how effective their exit strategy is, will be crucial to the outcome at Twickenham. England have the players to beat Ireland in the kicking game, but they have to be smart and accurate consistently.
When it comes to making the most of pressure positions England have not been at their best so far in the Six Nations, and that applies both to putting chances away, and stopping the opposition from doing so.
This will be a huge test with England's home advantage set against Ireland's greater experience. England have to win to stay in with a chance of winning the Championship and Triple Crown, while Ireland arrive with a Grand Slam dream still intact.
These sides are extremely well matched. We got a preview earlier this season when Brian O'Driscoll had the better of Luther Burrell when Leinster smashed Northampton at Franklin's Gardens in the Heineken Cup, only for Burrell to bounce back in Dublin.
However, although the Irish have been in big games – especially at club level – overall they have underachieved at international level.
I will go with England to win a close game, and this is mainly because I believe their forwards will go well around the Northampton connection between Dylan Hartley, Courtney Lawes and Tom Wood, especially at the lineout. Where the Welsh lineout suffered against Ireland, I'm not convinced that England's will.
Danny Care and Owen Farrell have been in form at half-back, and Care is at the stage of his career when he realises that there is a World Cup coming and that chances have to be seized. Farrell made only five tackles against France, but I believe he benefited because he was able to concentrate on playing heads-up rugby.
That contrasted with the game against Scotland when Farrell got involved more defensively and was less effective. I can see Farrell being targeted by the Irish – legitimately – because they know from the 2013 Lions tour that he can go off-piste emotionally. So, he will get some verbals and a little off-the-ball treatment.
The clash of new and old in the centres will also be critical. Gordon D'Arcy and O'Driscoll could play together blindfolded, but I'd like to see Billy Twelvetrees and Burrell really test them. No one wants to see a 6ft 3ins, 17 stone guy coming down their channel all afternoon however good they are in defence – but the English centres can't go it alone or D'Arcy and O'Driscoll will steal the ball.
On top of that the England back three can threaten. May is incredibly difficult to put down. Nowell showed against the Scots that he has quick feet, and Brown is playing at the top of his game.
You can see that England now have a shape to their game, getting better and stronger – although Billy Vunipola must keep beating defenders and making enough line breaks to set up tries.
Both sides had been cautious about where they attack from, and England cannot afford to get isolated because of Ireland's chop and jackal, but if they have a kicking game that can turn the Irish, and play in their half, they can squeeze home.