Ollie Sleightholme (Image: Getty)
Ollie Sleightholme has vowed not to change his confrontational style after his flashpoint against France in England 26-25 win on Saturday.
The wing reckons England have burst the dam and victories will flow now they have got one in the bag.
That result ended a run of seven straight defeats against tier one opposition – with five being tight games they fell on the right side.
England’s desperation to win was summed up by two actions by Sleightholme, one a chase back to deny French wing Louis Bielle-Biarrey a try and a dust-up with opposite number Damian Penaud.
And more of the same will be needed when Scotland come to town a week on Saturday and wing Sleightholme is ready to deliver.
Sleightholme said: “With the chase I had to bust my nuts to get there, to force something; whether that was a tackle or an offload. I just had to make it so that he couldn’t score in the corner.
“Coaches I’ve worked with have had the philosophy of making them make one more pass; make them do something that they can make a mistake with. If I don’t force that, then he scores in the corner.
Henry Pollock has been added to the England squad (Image: Getty)
“Penaud was an ‘in the moment’ thing. It looked a bit worse than what it was. I thought I fell into him but it looks like I’ve shoulder-charged him – which I didn’t.
“I know I have to keep my cool while playing but I don’t think there’s much wrong with a little bit of argy-bargy with your opposite number.”
Sleightholme insists that one win can lead to a few more with Steve Borthwick’s side still in the Six Nations title hunt.
Questions had been asked about their fitness and mentality because of their inability to close out cliffhangers.
But Sleightholme, 24, said: “We have to have every confidence in ourselves after that win at the weekend. It has proven to us that we can do it. We have come so close and hit the crossbar so many times. That has now given us the belief and we know that when we put our game on the pitch, we can get results against the top teams.”
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England regathered at their Bagshot base on Wednesday ahead of the Scotland clash with Northampton and England Under-20 back row Henry Pollock added to the squad.
Pollock who was in the pre-Six Nations training camp in Girona was covering, alongside Ted Hill, for Tom Curry and George Martin.
Flanker Curry is on a modified programme, as usual, to manage his hip condition. Lock Martin has a minor knee issue but both are expected to resume full training on Monday.
Wing Immanuel Feyi-Waboso will be in camp on Thursday for assessment on his shoulder injury.