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Steve Borthwick puts positive spin on disappointing autumn for England

By Josh Raisey at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham
England head coach Steve Borthwick/ PA

England head coach Steve Borthwick has said that he has “seen growth” in his side this month after they registered their first win of their Autumn Nations Series campaign against Japan on Sunday in their final match of the year.

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While both Borthwick and his England captain Jamie George described the campaign as “one of frustration,” the pair saw positive signs in the way England played in the 59-14 victory.

The coach singled out the way that England have played with the ball as a sign of growth over the past four weeks, saying he wants his team to be “brave with the ball”.

George also pinpointed the manner in which his side “fronted up” in three narrow losses to the All Blacks, Australia and South Africa as another positive.

Though England were able to finish their year on a high, ending their five-match losing run, the pair could not hide their disappointment at how the past month has unfolded.

Fixture
Internationals
England
59 - 14
Full-time
Japan
All Stats and Data

“Reflecting on it, the obvious overriding feeling will be one of frustration to have come so close to get results but not actually be able to convert them, I think that will be one aspect,” Borthwick said

“The other aspect would be real positivity around some of the aspects we’ve seen the team play. I want them to be brave with the ball, I want them to play fast. I think we’ve seen growth in that area over the last four weeks.”

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George added: “I’d echo that. Fundamentally we’re frustrated with the results. As with everything you can break them down in isolation each game and I think there are different things we can learn from each game. But I’m genuinely very proud of the way the boys fronted up to each opportunity.

“When we reflect, the Australia game in particular will be one we’re very frustrated with in particular because it was a game that we were very poor in and if didn’t look like us. But I was really pleased with the way we fronted up last week against South Africa and pushed them close and then we were able to get over the line this week. The quality of the performance and the way we went about it were very impressive.”

Analysing the victory over Eddie Jones’ Brave Blossoms, Borthwick said that their performance was the “identity they’re trying to build as a team,” as the hosts racked up nine tries in a variety of ways.

“I’m really pleased with the way the players approached the game and the way they kept their discipline to play the way we want to play,” Borthwick added.

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“You can see the identity they’re trying to build as a team, one that moves the ball and can score in different ways. Some of the tries were exceptional. Over the past four weeks, we’ve scored some really outstanding tries. With the skill level that’s in the group, I’m really pleased they took it onto the grass today.”

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Comments

3 Comments
B
Bull Shark 15 days ago

Frustrating feels like the wrong term.


In all the matches England narrowly lost - they stopped playing in the final stages and lost the game.


That’s not frustrating. That’s infuriating.

A
Alex 15 days ago

Is he trying to convince us or himself?

R
RT 15 days ago

I fear England's 6 Nations results won't improve against Ireland, France and even Scotland. Then it's all change again? Hope I'm wrong.

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H
Head high tackle 52 minutes ago
'Razor's conservatism is in danger of halting New Zealand's progress'

I really dont know what the problem is Nick. Cane was immense this year and no one below him demanded the job. TJ perhaps less so but he was always going to start the season at 9 anyway due to the thing they call experience. I think guys like Lakai will have learnt a lot from the likes of Cane and Ill garrantee TJ has helped the Roigard/Ratima/Hothem settle in to their roles much better than they would have had there been no experience around. At the start of 2024 these guys had 3 tests between them. Im glad TJ was around.

The biggest fail area from my pov is centre. Razors lack of desire to change what is clearly failing is a worry. Is he waiting for a full year of SR? Is he not sure? I dont know the answer of course but He fiddled where he shouldnt have and didnt touch the area he should have. WJ at 15 is an experiment. Its not a clear decision yet either. WJ is an amazing attacking player. He isnt an amazing kicker or an amazing decision maker.

The 10 position is being handled very badly too. Its Dmac but BB is constantly in there, Its BB but no 15 to back that up or its no one. GET RID of the centre pairing and get Love in at 15. The backs will function way better. All the players get their SR backs working far better than Razor has gotten, and with no dedicated backs coach in the ABs its a clear problem area.


Also this comparing SA with NZ when 1 side is retaining all their stars and the other side has had some major changes isnt a apples with apples comparison. Imagine comparing a F1 racing team where 1 team was 100% settled and the other was brand new....Just not a comparison worth doing as it proves nothing other than the blatently obvious.

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J
JW 1 hour ago
'Razor's conservatism is in danger of halting New Zealand's progress'

Razor is compensating, and not just for the Foster era.


Thanks again for doing the ground work on some revealing data Nick.


This article misses some key points points that are essential to this debate though;


Razor is under far more pressure than Rassie to win

Rassie is a bolder selector than Razor, and far more likely to embrace risk under pressure than his counterpart from New Zealand.

It doesn't realise the difficulties of a country like South Africa, with no rugby season to speak of at the moment, to get full use out of overseas internationals

Neither world player of the year Pieter-Steph du Toit nor all-world second row Eben Etzebeth were automatic selections despite the undue influence they exert on games in which they play.

The last is that one coach is 7 years into his era, where the other is in his first, and is starting with a far worse blank slate than where upon South Africa's canvas could be layered onto after 2017.

The spread at the bottom end is nothing short of spectacular. Seventeen more South Africans than New Zealanders started between one and five games in 2024.

That said, I think the balance needs to be at least somewhere in the middle. I don't know how much that is going to be down to Razor's courage, and New Zealands appetite however.


Sadly I think it is going to continue and the problem is going to be masked by much better results next year, even forgotten with an undefeated season. Because even this article appears to misconstruing the..

known quantities

as being TJP and Sam Cane. In the context of what would need to change for the numbers above to be similar, it's players like Jordie Barrett, Beauden Barrett, Rieko Ioane, Sevu Reece, Ethan Blackadder, Codie Taylor, where the reality needs to be meet face on.


On Jordie Barrett at Lienster, I really hope he can be taught how to tackle with a hard shoulder like Henshaw and Ringrose have. You can see in these highlights he doesn't have the physical presence of those two, or even the ones behind him in NZ like ALB and AJ Lam. I can't really seem him making leaps in other facets if he's already making headlines now.

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