Steve Borthwick has asserted that he possesses the answers needed to rejuvenate England’s prospects as he readies himself to secure his position following Saturday’s Six Nations match against France in Paris.
Bill Sweeney, the chief executive of the Rugby Football Union, has expressed his support for Borthwick to remain as head coach, despite a streak of three consecutive Test defeats that culminated in a historic loss to Italy in round four.
Nevertheless, Sweeney’s remarks did not guarantee Borthwick’s security until the conclusion of the 2027 World Cup, when his contract expires, but rather suggested that he has the upcoming summer tour to preserve his role.
The two had a meeting on Sunday and will engage in further discussions during the post-Championship review set to commence next week.
Borthwick identifies discipline, particularly the eight yellow cards accumulated over four matches, and the inability to capitalize on scoring opportunities as the key factors contributing to England’s significant letdown in a tournament they aimed to win.
The 47-year-old maintains that he has the remedies for these and other weaknesses revealed since the conclusion of the team’s 12-match winning streak.
“Clearly being in Test week is not the time for discussing end-of-tournament reviews,” Borthwick stated. “As you’d respect, we’ve got a game against France on Saturday and that’s our focus.
“In terms of the areas, I’m pretty clear on what needs to be addressed and how we need to address it.
“There are one or two areas I’ve already discussed and other bits that we’ll dig into immediately post-tournament.”
If England suffers a defeat against title-contending France, they will experience their worst Six Nations performance ever, consisting of only one victory over Wales in the opening round.
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Thirteen unanswered points were conceded at the Stadio Olimpico as an 18-10 advantage turned into a 23-18 defeat, raising concerns about a lack of leadership in the final moments.
Maro Itoje and his vice-captains Ellis Genge and Jamie George have been called upon to take charge as the tournament reaches its conclusion.
“I met with the senior player group today [Tuesday], which I typically do,” Borthwick remarked. “This is one of those games where the senior players really step forward. That’s what I expect them to do this weekend.”
Ollie Chessum has been selected at blindside flanker in the sole alteration to the starting XV that narrowly lost in Rome, with Guy Pepper shifting to openside and Sam Underhill moving to the bench.
Chessum has primarily played as a lock, and his addition to the back row will enhance the line-out and provide additional support in the forward pack, while allowing Alex Coles and Maro Itoje to remain in the engine room.
“Ollie came on and did a lot of good work in the set piece and his carry when he came off the bench against Italy,” Borthwick noted.
“At the same time, Alex Coles has really developed over this last year and he’s played well each time he’s been on the pitch in this tournament.
“Maro Itoje’s performance stepped up on Saturday so this is a way of having all three of those players on the pitch.”
