Borthwick not immune from the sack but it’s time for positivity – Andy Goode
I’m not buying that Steve Borthwick is immune from the sack regardless of the performance at this World Cup but this should be a time for optimism and England need to seize the opportunity to turn the tide of negativity.
It’s absolutely fair to suggest change at the top might be needed if England crash out in the pool stages rather than starting the tournament with the idea that he’s going to remain in situ irrespective of how the team fares in France, as has been intimated.
The reality is, of course, that it will all depend on the details of the five-year deal he signed after £1 million was spent by the RFU to buy him out of his Leicester contract and install him as head coach and whether specific clauses were inserted.
It’s already reasonable to question the lack of experience in the coaching group as a whole and if things were to go south, I think the addition of an experienced Rassie Erasmus-style figure would be warranted at the very least.
The fact this is even being discussed on the eve of England’s opening game of the tournament shows just how bad their form has been. The most defeats the national team has ever suffered in a calendar year is eight and they’ve already lost six in 2023.
A couple of stodgy wins over Wales and a ground out victory against Italy are all Borthwick has to show for his efforts so far but he and his players will know that one win can change everything, especially when it’s in the first game of a World Cup.
Borthwick was a player back in 2007 when England lost three of their four fixtures in the summer prior to the World Cup, on the back of losing to Wales and Ireland in the Six Nations, and there are some real parallels between that team and this one.
We all know how that turned out with England rallying to reach the final and, with a kind draw, there’s no reason they can’t make the semi-finals at least this time around and then who knows what might happen.
Momentum is huge in sport and they have none at all right now but a win over the Pumas and that can build quickly before the knockout stages, defeat and the pressure will hit epic levels for the Japan game.
Given that context and the weather conditions, I wouldn’t expect much free-flowing rugby in Marseille and it’ll be a cagey affair with whoever comes out on top in an attritional forward battle likely to prevail.
Argentina are favourites, they’re ranked higher and beat England at Twickenham last November but England have more caps in their squad than any other team in the tournament and they need to draw on that experience and the memory of 2019.
Elliot Daly, Manu Tuilagi, Jonny May, George Ford, Jamie George, Dan Cole, Maro Itoje, Courtney Lawes, Tom Curry and Joe Marler have all played in a World Cup final and some of those big names have gone missing in recent times but now is the time to stand up and be counted.
The fact that May and Alex Mitchell start is a major talking point given they weren’t even named in the initial 33-man squad but I think you have to applaud Borthwick for reacting to the poor displays and not just sticking with the same formula.
Mitchell’s inclusion from the off could be key as he offers pace that the other scrum halves don’t and can play with an intensity that has the potential to make a major difference, if he’s allowed to play his normal game.
Add Tom Curry’s return to that and there are a couple of glimmers of hope. He might not have played since May because of an ankle injury but he’s a Test match animal and will give the team a lift in defence and attack.
The bench is going to play a massive role given the heat and England might just have the edge there. If it’s tight and players are tiring, there aren’t many better players to bring on and exploit gaps than Marcus Smith but I’d want to see him doing so from fly half not full back.
There may not have been any actual evidence to inspire confidence thus far in the Borthwick era but he’s building from a low base after the back end of the Eddie Jones era saw players playing with fear and unable to express themselves.
It might seem like clutching at straws but the current crop of players are doing their best to portray a happy camp and the start of the biggest tournament of all might just provide the impetus for a sudden improvement.
Nobody wants to be reading headlines about the head coach’s future before the competition is even underway, it’s time for positivity and we might just look back on the Pumas in Marseille as the tipping point in England’s turnaround. I’m going for England by three.
Comments on RugbyPass
I guess we may all agree on the fact, that the ABs and Boks are the two in contest for No 1 in rugby history (the triple-A sort of) …. the Wallabies, England and France are the next tier, with Ireland being the new kid in town (AA) …. in my view it makes little sense creating imaginary competitions (unless you have too much time to waste)
43 Go to commentsWhat a joke. Total joke and the pundits commentating, all of whom know a bit about the game, could barely disguise their contempt. Reaching for the card then pulling back when he realised a red card would carry further match suspensions is simply not his decision to make. A clear and obvious influence on the outcome of this match and indeed, the championship path.
4 Go to commentsI like the idea, in NZ the Ranfurly Shield and NPC coexist, both having their own bragging rights. The World Cup would be the pinnacle, but the competition and travels of these trophies would be interesting.
43 Go to commentsDon’t worry Sonny bill Williams leave that awkward situation about the curfew in the pass whoever it was it doesn’t matter its no big deal we back our All Blacks through the storm and the thunder until we see the Sun light again.
42 Go to commentsWho listens to this retard? He was a massive liability as a player but obviously a media sensation
42 Go to commentsI’m not surprised by such ‘virtue signalling’ by Sonny Boy. Butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth. He’s such a pious Islamic muppet, imo.
42 Go to commentsI’ve actually never heard of the guy (then I don’t watch League as it is boring). But if he is good enough.. then good luck to him. If not, well, he can always return to league.
2 Go to commentsIt is pretty clear that by almost any measure that NZ are a more successful rugby nation than South Africa. Quite aside from the distasteful events during the last RWC final. NZ lead SA in all significant measurements.
43 Go to commentsDickson went to his pocket for a card, saw who it was, changed his mind and spoke at length to TMO. One angle clearly shows Care diving over a Saints player to kill the ball. 1st yellow, reason given for not Red was player was falling backwards. He was only falling backwards after contact with Lawes. Graham try should have stood. Mitchell did not have both hands on the ball, ball went forward from a Saints boot dragging over it. 2 intentional knock-on's. One of which had an overlap on the outside. If Quins are happy to win by intentional foul play, then it does not say much for them. Would appear to be a bad day for Karl Dickson, also for the RFU in appointing a Ref who spent 8 years as a player at one of the clubs.
4 Go to commentsLet’s not forget about Ardie Savea just yet.
6 Go to commentsThe URC and the Euro Championscup can’t run at the same time, basically dilutes both competitions.
2 Go to comments“While Sotutu should start at No.8 for the All Blacks against England, but it’s only in that arena that he can prove just how good he really is.” And that my friends is where simply hasnt shone despite multiple opportunities. Even in this performance you can see what did him in in the test arena..he almost always still runs at the opposition almost ramrod upright making him easier to stop than it should be.
6 Go to commentsShould have been 0-0 and a message from SR CEO to both teams - “don’t worry about turning up next year”.
4 Go to commentsGreat work Owen Franks. A great of this team, scoring his first try for the Crusaders since 2010.He was beaming, justifiably. A fine win, he and the rest did the job up front.
1 Go to commentsDanny Care. Lang in die tand.
1 Go to commentsBig empty stadium does nothing for atmosphere but munster are playing well with solid performance
1 Go to commentsYes, Fiji can win the World Cup! With that belief plus their christian faith🙏 and hard work it is achievable. Great article. Ian Duncan Fiji resident 1981-84
2 Go to commentsInteresting comments about Touch. England’s hosting the Touch World Cup this year and the numbers have exploded since their last World Cup in 2019, something like 70% more teams and 40 nations taking part. And England Touch have made a big thing about how many universities are in their BUCS University Touch Championship as well as Sport England membership. Can only see this growing even more domestically as more people become aware of it
10 Go to comments“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
4 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
4 Go to comments