Steve Borthwick takes aim at culture of fear in England times past
Steve Borthwick has stuck the boot in on his predecessors as England coach, suggesting a culture of fear over making a mistake shackled players from being at their best at Test level in the past.
The 44-year-old, whose 57-cap international career spanned nine years from 2001 to 2010 under Clive Woodward, Andy Robinson, Brian Ashton and Martin Johnson, went on to become assistant coach under Eddie Jones from 2016 to 2020.
He then earned his head coach stripes as the Premiership title-winning Leicester coach before taking over as Test boss from Jones in December 2022.
Saturday in Rome was his 17th game in charge and while the 27-24 win that England secured was far from pretty, Borthwick backed his players to the hilt at his post-game debrief.
His long-term hope is that England will develop a game plan that will put fear into the top sides across the world and he insisted he won’t employ a no-mistakes-allowed culture of fear in his squad to make that success happen.
Instead, he wants his players to be able to do what they do best without fearing the whip from the sideline when it comes to expressing themselves on the pitch.
Asked about his players having the confidence to take risks under his watch, he explained: “Fundamentally this is one of the challenges right now. For a long time players – and I felt this as a player, I felt it as squads I was a part of with England for a long time – is the possibility of making a mistake and the ramifications of it.
“I have seen this with players I played with and teams I was part of, not bringing all their strengths onto the pitch for fear of a mistake. What I see in this group of players now is a group of players is this group of players is just determined to do well, has incredible skill level – and we are going to make mistakes.
“It’s a new team and it’s ensuring the players understand we are going to learn from them and we are going to keep getting better and I keep wanting you to want more; I want you to have a go, I want you to bring your strengths, whatever it is, bring your strengths onto the pitch and we are going to try and decrease that concern, that worry that has been in teams previously.
“That’s my personal experience of seeing players playing with England. I want them to come and put a white shirt on and grow to be even better; I want a white shirt to help them be even better, even stronger than they have been before.”
It was a theme picked up by new skipper Jamie George, who revealed he chatted last month with Borthwick about this very topic. “Yeah, that certainly has been the case previously,” he said when asked about this alleged culture of fear surrounding mistakes.
“When Steve and I met a few weeks ago we were talking around that. I don’t necessarily think it’s risk, it’s having the courage to execute the game plan as best as you can.
“That’s probably what we are talking about and what we are very lucky to have is a coaching staff that are very clear about how we go after things and as players that just means we have the courage to go and do it.
“Sometimes at the highest level pressure comes on and you almost just want to sit back and worry about not making a mistake as has been the case previously.
“What pleased me the most (against Italy) was we got cut a couple of times in the first half; did it take anything away from our linespeed? Absolutely not. We had the courage to go after them again.”
Comments on RugbyPass
It’ll be very interesting to see how Razor’s AB’s handle the new England rush D. It’s basically the Bok recipe they copied, so if England goes well then we know most likely the Boks will go well too. If England cops a hiding then we’ll have to study and adapt.
6 Go to commentsTypical trait of an australian is to moan. Goes well with there lack of humbleness as evident by the Reds bench on the weekend.
2 Go to commentsSBW’s bro’town commentary and lazy default to hyperbole should be ignored, a technical analyst he is not. Sotutu is a good player when games get goosey loosey, high skill set that fans of Zinzan recall with starry eyes. But you need power and mongrel at no8 in the Test arena and Sotutu gets found wanting there, much like Akira Ioane. No8’s like Zinzan and Ardie have bucketloads of mongrel and power and tenacity which allow the skill sets to flourish.
11 Go to commentsAn inside pass to attacker on the angle can make a drift defence look lead footed. Relies on fleet footed forward/s to get across from the breakdown. An argument for the smaller faster 7 perhaps?
6 Go to commentsSensational tackle. The reds one was late and rightly penalised. The other two were simultaneous with the pass. If nitpicking TMOs can’t find fault there clearly isn’t any.
2 Go to commentsBrumbies fully deserved their win on the back of their physicality and desire to control the ball. Xavier Numia, Asafo Aumua and Tyrel Lomax should be the ABs starting front row when we start our test schedule. They have “come of age” and have bested all they have faced as well as been dominant with ball in hand in making the gainline. With De Groot, Tamaiti Williams and Fletcher Newell backed up by Taukei'aho and Cody Taylor there's not an international front row that can trouble us. Can't wait to face the Boks over there, won't be no one point game this time.
7 Go to commentsKinda strange that he wasn’t with a premiership team or a higher level of rugby? Start playing late or something? With that kind of size and athleticism you’d think someone would have picked him up?
2 Go to commentsShows how much attitude matters. Last week the Brumbies got done, this week they dominated the tournament leaders, who were likely thinking they could cruise to victory.
7 Go to commentsA Turtle has more pace and leg drive than Owen Franks, so it’s a good thing he only had to run 90 metres for that try.
2 Go to commentsOh Tamati Tua was in the vastly over-rated Leon MacDonalds Blues system? Well, no wonder he was wasted, much like Emoni Narawa and Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens under MacDonald. now look at them. Good thing Tua isn’t eligible, the Aussies latch on to any player who isn’t tied down.
7 Go to commentsMark Telea is a lot of things, but a defensive juggernaut has never been one of them. There will be far bigger tests in that regard for the youngster.
11 Go to commentsLove and respect to Fiji but not a chance outside of 7s
4 Go to commentsGood summation Ned. Agree the Canes were out-muscled for once (except at the scrum!) by a focused Brumbies outfit. Tua deserves consideration for higher honors after the way he humbled Jordie and the Canes defense. Thankfully, his lack of eligibility for Oz keeps him from Joe’s plans. While I also agree the injuries affected the Canes performance, some players seemed to lack focus and intensity for this match. Perhaps after the Blues demolished the Brumbies, they thought it was going to be easy? A good reminder that any slip up in preparation can have a big affect on the result. Brumbies deserved that win.
7 Go to commentsKarl Dixon should never have been appointed this fixture, absolute disgrace, He’s not much of a referee anyway, didn't have the balls to send his mate care off
5 Go to commentsBrilliant article! Harry of 8/9
6 Go to comments‘UK athletes' have been in the NFL from the start.
2 Go to commentsIt’s going to be Scott Barrett. He’s the coaches mate and captain of a previously elite team. Ardie a great option but scooter has worked with the coach and Ardie still as big a leader as needed.
23 Go to commentsI commend Colin Scotts bio All Balls. He was the first Aussie to make it to NFL. But he was poached and did a full apprenticeship at the University of Hawaii. He was 130kgs surfed played 1st grade cricket etc. big guy by normal but not NFL standards and a top athlete. Even then the nfl were picking up Tongans and Samoans for their natural size and explosive power. They want explosive power not cardio from the big boys so a guy like Taniela Tupou would have been good if picked up young enough. He has fast twitch and they’d bulk the little lad up and give him something to do. soccer teams set up academies and look for Over Sara’s talent eg Messi was at Barcelona since a teenager and harry kewell went to Leeds as a teenager like 16 or something.
11 Go to commentsThe article alludes to the fact that this isn’t about picking a captain. But picking a great captain. So who would make for a great All Black captain - not just an obvious or safe shoo-in? I’m not sure Ardie’s the guy and Barret doesn’t stand out either.
23 Go to commentsI 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)
45 Go to comments