England can deliver Six Nations 'shock' - Care

England can "shock" Ireland and set themselves up for a run at the Six Nations title, says three-time winner Danny Care.

Steve Borthwick's team begin the tournament on Saturday by visiting an Ireland side aiming to become the first ever nation to win the competition outright three times in a row.

Harlequins scrum-half Care won more than 100 caps in an England career spanning 16 years and believes the Red Rose can get a victory in Dublin that could set them on course to win the trophy for the first time since 2020.

"If you go to Dublin and [just] try and stay in the game you could get blown away - but if England really go after Ireland and put their game on the park, I think they could cause them some trouble," the 39-year-old told BBC Sport London.

"Steve [Borthwick] will be saying 'let's shock a few people, let's get out of the blocks fast' and momentum is massive in this tournament, like no other. If you can get going and start building momentum, something just happens.

"I found it in the three years I've managed to get my hands on the trophy. If England can get off to a good one then watch this space."

'England will learn from autumn defeats'

England ended a run of autumn international defeats by New Zealand, Australia and South Africa with a thumping 59-14 victory over Japan at Twickenham.

Borthwick's side came within a whisker of beating the All Blacks as George Ford's last-play drop-goal effort went agonisingly wide of the post.

And Australia needed Max Jorgensen's last-gasp try in the 84th minute to steal victory.

Defeat by South Africa was England's fifth in a row but, despite the results, Care believes the squad will have learned a lot from the November series.

"We've seen flashes of brilliance from the England team," he said. "I actually look at the autumn and see it as a positive, they were in those games against the best teams in the world.

"If England go and win the Six Nations it'll all be forgotten about.

"Sometimes I think you learn more from your losses than you do your wins and hopefully it'll stand them in good stead to really go and attack Ireland on Saturday."

Who are Care's favourites to win Six Nations title?

Despite giving England a good chance to win their first title for five years, Care has France down as favourites to claim the trophy in March.

The return of star scrum-half Antoine Dupont is key to that prediction.

The 28-year-old is back as captain after representing France at their home Olympics last year, helping them win the gold medal in the men's rugby sevens, scoring two tries in the final.

"I think people forget he didn't play [in the Six Nations] last year," said Care, who won the tournament with England in 2011, 2016 and 2017.

"Having him back this year, I have France down as my favourites for the tournament for that reason. He's that good, he's consistently brilliant.

"[Ireland] are right up there, they really are. It's remarkable to be going for your third in a row, never been done before.

"I know how hard it is to win one, we managed to back it up [with a second] one year, but to do three in a row [would be] unbelievable.

"In England and Scotland you've got two teams who feel like if they get things right they could win it. And then you've got Wales and Italy who will go, 'well, we think we can probably beat anyone on our day'.

"That's why I think the tournament is so unbelievably special. For me it's the most special tournament in the world."

Who are the new stars for England?

England go into the tournament without many former stalwarts, including Care.

Ex-captain Owen Farrell and Courtney Lawes now play in France, while former Quins prop Joe Marler has retired from professional rugby altogether.

But Care, who won the Grand Slam with England in 2016 and was part of the squad that reached the 2019 World Cup final, picked out three players who will be key to the national side's success in the coming years:

• Alex Mitchell (Position: scrum-half; Age: 27; Caps: 19) - "He's everything you want in a nine. He's such a threat, you've got to keep your eye on him all the time, the tempo he drives the team forward with. He is a threat and creates space for people out wide, for the likes of the fly-half."

• Marcus Smith (Position: fly-half; Age: 25, Caps: 42) - "I think Marcus will be there for a long, long time still."

• Tommy Freeman (Position: wing; Age: 23, Caps: 17): "He's got all the qualities to be a world-class rugby player. He can play centre, he can play in the back three, really coachable, a great person who wants to learn."

"There's probably three there that I could see being there for a long, long time."

Care on the England captaincy

One of the first big surprises of the tournament came well before opening weekend with Borthwick's announcement that Maro Itoje would replace Saracens team-mate Jamie George as England captain.

Hooker George, 34, took over from Farrell at the end of the 2023 World Cup, with Itoje replacing the fly-half as Saracens captain following his move to Racing 92.

"I felt really sorry for Jamie George, he did a unbelievable job as captain and I know that first-hand from being in there with him," Care said.

"Knowing him like I do, I know he was the first guy to pick up the phone to congratulate Maro, which tells you everything you need to know about Jamie. He'll still be a massive driving force in that team.

"Maro is one of those world-class players who has the ability to win you a game almost on his own. He's a guy that you'll follow and I know the guys will be fully behind him."