Steve Borthwick’s vague words underline the tall task facing England this summer
With three Tests in three weeks on three continents, Borthwick and his squad face an uncertain summer that begins with a clash with South Africa
For a man whose grasp of detail has staggered many a colleague in his playing and coaching careers, Steve Borthwick can also display a mastery of imprecision and obfuscation. One might have thought that the England head coach might have used his first opportunity to speak to the gathered media since being given strong backing by the Rugby Football Union (RFU) following the review of England’s worst-ever Six Nations to go on the offensive; to lay out how, and why, he had been charged to take the side forward into this summer’s Nations Championship and beyond to the 2027 World Cup. Instead, to a series of wide-ranging questions, came a run of half-answers.
Now, if it could be understood that the cautious Borthwick not wishing to reveal the details of the review that has, again, been guarded like state secrets by his union, there was plenty otherwise upon which one might have hoped to have been more brightly illuminated. Take, for example, the matter of captain Maro Itoje , who could be rested for some, all, or none of the summer tour after a gruelling year in so many ways. What decision had Borthwick reached?
“It is an ongoing conversation,” he replied. If Itoje does not travel, would you look to a new skipper or a different leadership team? “We can have that conversation when I finalise the squad, rather than hypothetically.
” England captain Maro Itoje could be rested for some or all of the summer tour (Getty) When pressed on what had improvements or difference in mentality he would be asking of his squad after the Six Nations missteps, Borthwick talked of improving discipline and chance conversion, and of the so-called weight of the shirt – common threads as he sought to explain the misfires during the campaign. He leaned upon the performances against Wales and France at the start and end of the tournament as indicative of how he wished his side to play, though again demurred when pressed on specifics. Steve Borthwick has been given backing by the RFU to take England forward (Getty) Perhaps that caution was understandable given the demanding itinerary ahead.
Continue to the original source for the full article.