Luke Cowan-Dickie and George Ford backed to respond from Six Nations disappointment

The group of returning players arrive with mixed experiences from the tournament. George Ford endured a disrupted campaign, moving in and out of the side after a series of performances that did not quite meet expectations.

Despite having re-established himself ahead of Fin Smith through strong displays last summer and autumn, he lost his place again during the latter stages of the competition.

Tom Roebuck showed flashes of quality but lacked some of his usual sharpness, likely still feeling the effects of an injury that had kept him out since the autumn.

Luke Cowan-Dickie struggled to make an impact, most notably in the match against Ireland where he was substituted early. Bevan Rodd, meanwhile, had limited opportunities but made a positive impression from the bench.

Speaking about their return, Alex Sanderson highlighted the lift they have brought back into the squad.

"Dickie's loud, as he is. He walked into the physio room and was like 'I'm back, I'm back and I'm not as s**t as everyone says I am.' Which was a good ice-breaker. Fordy's on it, leading from the front, presenting today, not rolled into it.

"Buck [Tom Roebuck] looks sharp, has come in really fast and Bevan Rodd, who hasn't had a massive amount of gametime looks fresh. So we've had those four lads come back in and really lift the energy and standards."

Cowan-Dickie’s Six Nations may not have gone to plan, but Sanderson was quick to underline his belief in the hooker’s quality and character, backing him to respond positively.

"He's a British Lion twice over and deservedly so, he's a great player. He gets the shepherd's hook at 35 minutes, gets 10 seconds in one game and I thought in his last game he played really well for the 10 minutes he was on, he knee capitated Meafou and he carried unbelievably well.

"I have no dispersions about the quality player that he is or the man that he is, he's had a tough time of it in the Six Nations but you go through these ebbs and flows. He's back and he's in goof form so he'll be playing this weekend."

Ford’s response to adversity is another key storyline heading into the weekend. Widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in training environments, his ability to raise standards remains unquestioned regardless of selection.

"I think you'll see the best of him, consistently, when he's gone through a bit of adversity. When his form or contribution has been challenged, he comes back a better version of himself, that's eight times in his international career he's been in this position and he's come back.

"This is the opportunity, this weekend against the champions, next weekend against Quins and hopefully beyond, on almost a world stage, where he can show what he's about. So you'll see the best of him, I'm convinced."