RFU statement: Steve Borthwick and England team

57 old farts (for those of a certain age!)

The RFU can kick the can down the road but nothing will improve while Borthwick remains at the helm. They are culpable for letting Borthwick appoint a coaching team that largely consists of novices, and some of which are his best mates. France will ruthlessly expose England in Paris but that may be pleasant viewing compared to what SA are likely to do in the summer if this continues. The new generation obviously don’t want to play Borthwick’s dull tactics. Change is needed!

Too much emphasis on the coach and not enough on the players. Genge and George spend more effort trying to butter up the referee than they do scrummaging, “it’s them sir, I’m a good boy sir, do you agree sir” Pollock needs to put his energy into the game instead of trash talking five minutes in, he needs to earn it. Who decided not to challenge at the last line out? Possibly the worst on field decision I’ve ever seen. During play you can clearly hear Etoje scream at Smith who wanted to go for the corner “ don’t argue with me, take the three” , seems some of the team had ambition, clearly not the captain. There’s only so much a coach can do if the players aren’t performing.

Unless there’s a miracle in Paris—which is very unlikely, especially since the French are coming off a defeat and will be extremely motivated to win the tournament—I think Borthwick will be shown the door. He’s had some highs (2025) but also many lows… and this one is probably the last straw.

To replace him I’ve heard the name Robertson… it’s very funny. If England wants to commit suicide, go ahead!

Ronan O’Gara would be an excellent choice.

It would be funny to see England coached by an Irishman while Ireland is coached by an Englishman!

Here’s the options as I see things:

1. Sack Borthwick and replace. Expensive, first choice candidates (Farrell etc.) locked-in elsewhere. Disruptive with not enough time for a rebuild. Maybe things could be turned around. Appointing Mitchell could help offset the costs. I’ll leave it to others to explain if this is a viable option or not.

2. Keep Borthwick and replace coaching ticket. Not sure this would address the fundamental issues i.e. Borthwick’s rugby philosophy, but may improve defence etc. I’ve posted elsewhere I’d like to see more of Blackett’s input in both strategy and selection, but it seems this idea is completely at odds with Borthwick’s vision for how he wants England to play save outside strike moves off the back of the setpiece.

3. Parachute in new players - I’m thinking of BJvR and Hoskins Sotuto. The former could perhaps give midfield strength, but I’m not sure Hoskins adds anything unique that England don’t already have access to. Again, new tools won’t help if the masterplan is flawed.

4. Tweak the eligibility rules - bringing in overseas based players (you know who I’m taking about). Again, the squad would undoubtedly be improved, but would it make that much difference if the overall strategy remains the same?

5. Leave things as they are - ok, perhaps with the return of all the injured players the bench is strengthened, confidence builds and the slide arrested, but will there ever be a time when all players are fit? Would England have beaten Scotland, Ireland and Italy with IFW, Furbank, Baxter, Martin, Stuart etc. available?

6. Squad reset and new captain appointed - this suggests the problems are player/leadership based and deflects from the root cause of England’s problems, which are strategic. I do think there could be some merit in a reevaluation of the squad ‘leadership’. Itoje has not led this 6N. George has done better IMO. Not suggesting George be reinstated, but maybe the deck needs shuffling.

RFU had to issue a statement like that. Or risk a relentless week of speculation in the media for the next week.

It wouldn’t make any sense letting SB go until after the 6 Nations anyway.

If they lose badly to the French next Saturday - I’m sure they’ll let him go.

Bill Sweeney needs to act and believe that we should be looking for a new head coach. Borthwick & Co clearly haven’t learned from the previous games before the Italy game. Tactics are dull, (which is suorising as they have a brilliant attack coach) so what has gone wrong? Are the team behind SB? He has the same old excuses when it goes wrong, majority of the coaching team have had long enough together to get tactics right. What’s the next plan on the pitch when plan A fails, where are the leaders on the pitch, as there doesn’t seem to be any. You can't keep playing with 13 men on the field for 60 minutes, discipline is killing us and needs to be sorted out.

Wwith France next week, rest certain players and give a run out to those who haven’t had a lot of game time with England, nothing to lose

It feels like ENG are back in 2024 again. We were competitive for 60 mins and then collapsed in the final 20 mins, before Borthwick strengthened the bench and improved the matchday 23 in 2025.

When you look at 2026, we’ve lost Stuart, Baxter, Martin, Itoje (at the start), Tom Willis (unavailable), Tom Curry, Ollie Lawrence, IF-W & Furbank, all of which would have been in the 23 so in some ways, it’s not surprising we are struggling but even with that, the tactics are just so bloody dull from Borthwick.

I can’t wait to see what “For the Love of Rugby” and “Good, Bad & The Rugby” make of this loss this week.

Felix Jones and Aled Walters walking away before things got started spoke volumes. This team would do well to hire Razor, no jokes.

With one of the best resourced Unions in the world and some of the best talent in the world, we the supporters expect more.

Borthwick’s ‘plan’ is not working and hasn't been for a while.

The RFU are accepting of sub-standard coaching, probably because it would take somewhere in the region of two to four million pound to get rid of Borthwick and the rest of the crew.

We are going to be decimated next week but that's a warm up for what South Africa will do to us. 2026 is likely going to end up being a terrible year for English Rugby.

The RFU failing to read the room and the level of discontent amongst the supporters. It’s like Borthwick rolling out the same dull as dishwater sound bites in each interview. Words no longer cut it, action is required

Razor new England coach…

Oh no.

The dreaded chairman’s backing . Borthwick on the way out at last .

Although with the RFU it could take a year .

Pathetic acceptance of mediocrity and loss.

I just hope he has been told to get rid of the kick chase first and last resort.

Oh no, they have used the t-word (trajectory). 🤣🤣

to be fair, while I do think Borthwick should probably lose his job if he doesn’t beat France next week, I don’t have any special insight into the camp. If the players are still with him (they don’t always look like they are!) and the coaches have a clear analysis of what has gone wrong (I wouldn’t be surprised if they do - but they don’t appear to be in the right roles to properly address it!) then there’s a case for saying that he should stay.

Typical incompetence from the RFU. Borthwick has had long enough and delivered nothing. Sweeney the exact same. The whole organisation needs to be overhauled as it is poorly run. Maybe the RFU will pay attention when attendances start to decline because people cannot bear to watch another minute of Borthwick’s awful turgid rugby. The fans are sick of the constant excuses. Yes teams need to grow but they’re regressing not growing. The team is worse than when Jones left so how can you not act. If they wait until after the competition to act then why make this statement, the whole organisation is a shambles

Should’ve waited to make a statement after the France game.