Listen to Monday Night Rugby via the podcast above

"He has changed that approach. The overt arrogance has gone and they are much more humble and much more about work-rate and developing a culture of honesty."

Trevor Hogan shared a few impressions of Stuart Lancaster's current England side on Monday Night Rugby with five days to go to the crunch Six Nations game at Twickenham.

And Grenoble coach Bernard Jackman agreed with the new perception of Lancaster's England.

He said: "I would agree with Trev. There has always been a certain perceived arrogance. Maybe it suits us as Irishmen to build that up in our heads before playing them. Lancaster's really gone out of his way to try and limit that and not to give other teams that motivation before they play them."   

The lads also assessed Joe Schmidt's squad selection for Twickenham and Trevor reckons Simon Zebo is unlucky that there is so much strength on the wings at present.

Bernard also believes Dan Cole's absence will be a "big blow" for England due to the prop's qualities at the breakdown, with Ireland capable of "dictating the angle" of the scrum.

Trevor and Bernard also discussed former Ireland international Neil Francis' comments in which he said that in his experience, rugby dressing rooms were homophobic places. 

Trevor believes rugby dressing rooms have changed since Francis' time.

"I do remember that when [former Wales player] Gareth Thomas came out, that it was definitely a point of discussion among the lads in the changing room. It was more or less along the lines of 'there's more than likely someone here in the squad who is gay as well'," said Trevor who has played for Leinster, Munster and Ireland.

"It's easy to say it's grand now which it probably isn't. But it's certainly not to the level that Neil Francis was talking about because I think players nowadays are more open and tolerant and understanding of diversity." 

Bernard also feels it is a much more open environment and added that he played with an openly gay player in the AIL and that it was not an issue for any of his team-mates.

 

Image: England assistant coach Andy Farrell and head coach Stuart Lancaster - RBS Branding ©INPHO/James Crombie