England could be forced into pre-World Cup coaching reshuffle

England coach Steve Borthwick could be forced into yet another coaching re-shuffle after forwards coach Joe El-Abd held talks with Pro D2 side Brive about returning to France next season.

El-Abd, 45, took up a role with Borthwick, a former housemate from their teenage university days, in September 2024, replacing Felix Jones as defence coach, who resigned after only seven months in the role.

The former Bristol flanker said at the time that he was in it for the long haul after a disruption caused by Kevin Sinfield moving to skills and kicking from defence, and the departures of Aled Walters and Tom Tombleson.  

Brighton-born El-Abd told BBC Radio Five Live at the time: “I’m here for the long haul, definitely. It is so exciting to have this role at this time. It is a dream come true.”

It has been reported by Midi Olympique in France that El-Abd, who led Oyonnax to the Pro D2 title in 2023, isn’t happy with his responsibilities within Borthwick’s coaching team after being put in charge of the forwards and held a video conference call with Brive’s management following England’s unbeaten Autumn Nations Series campaign.

El-Abd, who is under contract with Englnd until after the 2027 World Cup in Australia, moved to France in 2009 when he joined Toulon from Bristol and transitioned into coaching with Oyonnax after ending his playing career with the Stade Charles-Mathon-based side five years later.

He then spent four seasons with Castres before returning to Oyonnax for the 2019/20 season as director of rugby with responsibility for the defence.

El-Abd worked part-time for England during the 2024 Autumn Nations Series and the 2025 Six Nations, as he continued to work for Oyonnax until the end of that season. But after balancing two jobs for 10 months, El-Abd became a full-time member of Steve Borthwick’s staff in the summer of this year.

Borthwick would have hoped he had seen the last of the changes when Lee Blackett (attack coach) and Byron McGuigan (collision/back three coach), joined the setup within a month of one another this Autumn.

Both coaches had impressed whilst on secondment to England from their respective clubs, Bath and Sale Sharks, on the summer tour of Argentina and the USA. Blackett’s appointment led to senior assistant coach Richard Wigglesworth moving across to take charge of the defence.