The Borthwick reaction to latest worrying loss for struggling England
Wounded England boss Steve Borthwick looked to put a positive spin on his team’s second-half capitulation to Wales on Saturday evening in Cardiff. His charges led 9-6 at the interval in their opening Summer Nations Series match ahead of the upcoming Rugby World Cup.
However, they failed to conjure a try despite numerous visits to the opposition 22 and they ultimately paid a heavy price for that mishap as they were hit by a two-try Welsh riposte and went down to a 20-9 defeat that could have been far worse, particularly if Louis Rees-Zammit got a TMO decision to go his way when he thought he had scored late on.
For England, who limped to the finish line in the Guinness Six Nations earlier this year and ultimately lost three of their five matches, this latest loss will be a blow to the fragile confidence given how they weren’t able to build on the half-time position.
Once Gareth Davies grabbed his early second-half try, Wales were always in the driving seat and even the return of George Ford off the bench in his first appearance since March 2022 couldn’t impact the dominant Welsh momentum which intensified with George North’s try.
It all added to up the England management heading into a Saturday night summit on a despondent note to decide their 33-strong World Cup squad which will be publicly unveiled on Monday at Twickenham after the players are informed on Sunday morning before they head home from Wales.
“I will speak to all the players tomorrow morning [Sunday] and inform them of the selection and we will announce it on Monday morning,” said Borthwick, explaining how he will cut down a squad that numbered 41 plus two extra injury rehab options coming into match week last Sunday.
“Over the coming weeks the team will sharpen up,” he insisted after a fixture in which he had yet to get a full medical update but did say that David Ribbans was withdrawn due to a HIA.
“We are still in quite a big training phase, but the team will start to sharpen up in the next few weeks. From my point of view, I am looking forward to announcing the squad on Monday and I’m really looking forward to the Test match against Wales at Twickenham next Saturday.
“Before this game I was really clear that I’d reflect on where I am in terms of the squad selection and reflect whether this game changes that.
“It’s another piece of information in terms of the complete picture that I am after, a full picture of each and every one of the players in order to make the best informed decision.
“The game today informed many different elements and it is another step for us as we build forward. That is why I say we will build in these four games.
“I have spoken to the team and everyone knew (it was) the turnovers (that hurt) and the count I saw was 21 to nine – it is very difficult to win Test matches with that turnover count. What it means is we created opportunities in the opposition 22 and didn’t take them.
“In that first half we created a load of opportunities in the opposition 22. In Test rugby you have got to score and ultimately we came away in that first half with three penalties… that would be a big take away from it.”
Then there was the faded set-piece. “We talked about our set-piece and first half our scrum was strong and won penalties and lineout provided a load of ball for our attack but in the second half both those areas faltered. There was interchange on both teams and those two areas faltered.
“Ultimately there were a high number of handling errors and errors in contact and whilst our breakdown was good against a team that jackal the ball, handling errors cost us.
“There are areas for us to work on, but to create that number of entries to the opposition 22, that was a step forward from where we were.”
Comments on RugbyPass
“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.
2 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
2 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.
2 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.
37 Go to commentsTamati Tua. …the Taniwha NPC midfielder. Ollie Sapsford, Hawkes Bay NPC midfielder…doing well
2 Go to commentsFiji deserve to be in the rugby championship, fans love seeing the Fijian national team play, the Fijian Drua is a wonderful idea but the players can still be stolen to play for NZ and AUS…
1 Go to commentsThe first concern for this afternoon are wheather forecast…
1 Go to commentsWhy cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
5 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
33 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
4 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
5 Go to comments