Sleightholme explains how Saints connection is helping England

Steve Borthwick's side claimed a dramatic 26-25 win last time out at Allianz Stadium as Fin Smith's late conversion handed them a crucial victory.

Alex Mitchell and Tommy Freeman also started that game, meaning Saints had four representatives in the England backline.

And when asked how that helped, speedy wing Sleightholme said: "You don't speak less but you don't waste communication.

"Not waste, because you're not wasting it if you don't know the person, but you have a lot more time to really use clear information, which can give you better outcomes.

"Sometimes when you don't know the players as well or what's going on as well around you, it can become quite frantic.

"We really work hard on understanding each other in this environment and understanding the communication we need to get a certain outcome.

"It's just knowing what people are going to do and how they're going to go about doing something."

Sleightholme certainly put himself about in the win against France, engaging in a little off-the-ball scuffle with France wing Damian Penaud.

"There wasn't really a thought process," said Sleightholme. "It was an in-the-moment thing. Looking back on it, it looked a bit worse than it was. I thought I fell into him but it looks like I've shoulder-charged him - which I didn't. There wasn't much in it."

Asked if he relished that contest, Sleightholme added: "There's a side of me that does, but I know I have to keep my cool and be calm while playing.

"I don't think there's much wrong with a little bit of argy-bargy with your opposite number."

Sleightholme helped England to get the job done as they bounced back from their opening-day defeat to Ireland in Dublin.

And now they will look to maintain the momentum when they host Scotland on Saturday

"I think we have to have every confidence in ourselves after that win against France," Sleightholme said.

"It has proven to us that we can do it, in a weird way. 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, and we do our best to nullify their threats, that we can get results against the top teams in the world."