England v Scotland: Joe Launchbury aims to punch above his weight again in Six Nations opening game England have set great store by a revamped approach to the breakdown. "We speak now more about dominating the space beyond the tackle rather than worrying about the tackle," Rowntree said. Support players given this responsibility remove the threat of defenders winning a turnover or slowing ball down (see graphic). With his pace and mobility, Joe Launchbury is key to the task. "His accuracy is exceptional and his game involvement is massive," said Rowntree, a man who spends his hours charting every ruck hit, every upfield carry, every tackle. Nothing slips by these days. A forward is judged on detail not by impression. Launchbury himself acknowledged just how swift and giddying his promotion through the ranks has been and how much remains to be done. "I felt I had to grow up a lot last season, with what was going on at Wasps with the off-field difficulties, and I've had to grow up again this season but as a rugby player," he said. The spotlight that falls on you when you come into the England set-up takes getting used to. However, you've got to learn to deal with all that. On the field, you're encouraged to be yourself, to do what you do best and to play to your strengths. As a tight forward I can't just rely on getting around the field quickly. People talk about my age, question whether I can mix it but you can't not be involved in anything but a physical battle. That was the case against South Africa and I loved it. Scotland will be the same. They've got big blokes there in the second row and they'll come to Twickenham all guns firing. They'll be very confrontational. Launchbury was an integral part of the England Under-20 side that got to the Junior World Cup final in Italy two years ago. He dealt with the Scottish threat many times at that level. England wanted to try him out in their midweek side in South Africa last June only for him to pick up an injury. In the autumn series, though, he made his debut off the bench against Fiji and started against South Africa a fortnight later. He has not missed a beat. Packing down alongside Leicester's Geoff Parling, Launchbury forms far from England's burliest second-row partnership. But the All Blacks have never fretted unduly about sheer bulk and, at 6ft 6in and 18st, Launchbury is not exactly a tiddler. He fits the Lancaster template for New Age England. "I feel I belong but that's true of anyone who comes into camp," Launchbury said. That's the idea. That's the culture. It's inclusive. Now for his first Six Nations. And, after that, the Lions? "I've come so far in such a short space of time I dare not allow myself to look too far ahead," he said. I've got my hands full trying to hang on to my place ahead of Courtney Lawes and others. All I can do is to try and impress the coaches every day. A wider audience will be watching at Twickenham. The audition has gone well. Now for the performance.