1
Steve Borthwick hits back, claiming England 'written off too early'
Steve Borthwick has claimed people have written off his England team too early ahead of their Rugby World Cup campaign which starts this Saturday versus Argentina in Marseille. The head coach has endured a difficult time since succeeding Eddie Jones; his side losing five of their last six matches and six of the nine outings in total.
ADVERTISEMENT
However, having flown into Marseille on Thursday following a week of preparation at base camp in Le Touquet-Paris-Plage, Borthwick has strongly expressed his belief that an XV showing four changes from the team beaten on August 26 by Fiji in London can deliver victory in their opening Pool D match.
After confirming a selection that heralded recalls for Elliot Daly, Joe Marchant, Jamie George and the finally fit-again Tom Curry, Borthwick said: “This is a fantastic tournament and everyone involved in the England team can’t wait to get started.
“I said earlier in the week I sensed from the players there is a feeling they have been written off too early. People have been calling on them a bit too early and I think there is a lot of class in this squad and I think these players have got a hell of a lot more to go and they can’t wait to get stuck in on Saturday night.
“There is a quality group of players here who I sense have a real determination to put their best performances on the park. I sense that the frustration, what people have been saying about them… our expectation is that these players are going to go and perform with the quality they have this week led by Courtney (Lawes).
“This team has taken some setbacks. It has had to adapt, it has had to overcome. When I look at people like the man next to me [Lawes] who is tough and hard, has overcome a lot, there is a huge number in this squad who are just like him, made of tough stuff and I expect them to bring that onto the pitch on Saturday night.”
Sifting through his selection decisions, Borthwick began by explaining why Kyle Sinckler, who was the No1-choice tighthead during the Guinness Six Nations, was excluded from the match day 23, the coach instead opting to start Dan Cole with Will Stuart providing cover from the bench.
ADVERTISEMENT
“I said at the start of the week I expected every player to be available for selection come Saturday (bar the suspended Owen Farrell and Billy Vunipola). We have had players doing modified training, Kyle Sinckler being one of them, so whilst he could have been available for Saturday’s game, I decided to pick the two players who have done all of our training.
“Dave Ribbans is in a similar situation that he had to modify training a little bit later on in the week and I decided to pick the players that have done all that training [George Martin was given the No19 shirt Ribbans had against the Fijians.”
The exclusion of Sinckler heralds a start for Cole, the player who had a torrid time in the 2019 Rugby World Cup final when introduced off the bench after just two minutes for the concussed Sinckler. Cole went from November 2019 until February this year without a cap and Borthwick paid tribute to the prop’s perseverance in fighting his way back into favour.
“It says a huge amount about his character, it says a huge amount about him as a person. He has been superb. He has been one of those wise heads. He doesn’t say much but when he does speak you know it is important and time seems to stand still when he speaks.
ADVERTISEMENT
“He has wisdom there that he can share from all those Test matches that he has played. I’ll come back to it again; we have got players here who know what it is to perform on the biggest of stages. Players who are determined to win for themselves and this team and for their families and I am excited to see them go on Saturday.”
Curry’s availability to start is seen as a big boost for England following his ankle injury lay-off. “We have got players right throughout this 23 who have performed on the biggest of stages. Tom Curry is one of them.
“He is in fantastic physical condition. He missed a period of training, his movement is exceptional. If you look at that back five of the scrum with Tom Curry, Ben Earl, Courtney, Maro (Itoje), Ollie Chessum, you see a mobile, athletic back five at the scrum.”
Two players in the starting XV weren’t original World Cup squad picks on August 7, but Alex Mitchell is now the starting scrum-half while Jonny May is on the right wing following the respective campaign-ending injuries to Jack van Poortvliet and Anthony Watson. “It’s immense credit to Alex in that he was incredibly disappointed not to make the original 33-man squad,” suggested Borthwick
“I asked every player that I spoke to at that point to go away (when the squad was cut) and ensure they were ready to be the next man in and an opportunity opened up and I thought one of the positives that came out of that Fiji game was his performance. He played well and he has trained exceptionally well.
“He has done exactly what we asked, make sure he was ready to go… To start this game, what Alex brings is what is right for this team, the combinations we have. You can see he is a dangerous running threat. Everybody knows his is a dangerous running threat.
“You couldn’t ask more of Jonny in terms of what he has done. He has been exemplary in that regard, which is immense credit to him. The second thing I will say is we knew we would need to adapt. Planning process is essential because that allows you to adapt.
“Jonny has done every training session with us, every day with us, and then stepped into that Fijian game. We have talked about the performance of Alex, the performance of Jonny was also very good and he has earned his selection this week.”
It was only last November when England were beaten 29-30 by Argentina at Twickenham. Just five of match day 23 have been selected in this Saturday’s 23 – the starting Freddie Steward, Manu Tuilagi, Ellie Genge, Maro Itoje and Curry. That was an Autumn Nations Series match that Borthwick – the then Leicester head coach – watched from home.
“I wasn’t at the game. I watched the game on television and I was cheering England on as much as I possibly could because I am desperate for the England team to win. I visited camp that week and watched them train for a day and I was desperate for this team to go and win, as I always have ever since I was a young boy supporting this team.
“Argentina, what a good side they are and the wins they have had over the last 12 months. Now our job is to put a performance that this team is capable of, that I know these players are capable of. These players are determined to deliver on Saturday night, that is our job.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Don’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.
41 Go to commentsWho listens to this retard? He was a massive liability as a player but obviously a media sensation
41 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.
41 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.
39 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.
1 Go to commentsLet’s not forget about Ardie Savea just yet.
4 Go to commentsThe URC and the Euro Championscup can’t run at the same time, basically dilutes both competitions.
1 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.
4 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 commentsNow if they could just fire the Crusaders ground PA guy who likes to play his dance music and just loves the sound of his own voice the entire game, even when play is going on. And I thought their brass band thing of a few years ago was bad.
5 Go to commentsUnfortunately when you lose by far the two form players this season in Roigard and Aumua, you're left replacing two game changing Tanks with a couple of pea-shooters. Which is also about the speed of TJs pass.
4 Go to commentsBit rich coming from the guy with zero loyalty to anyone or any team, including happily taking a players place in a league world cup squad because well, SBW wanted to play in it and thus an already named player got told he was no longer going. And airing stuff like this, which may or may not be true, doesn't exactly say you're a stand up guy either SBW. Just looking to keep his name in lights as usual.
41 Go to comments