When you’re in a time of crisis as a team – and that’s where Steve Borthwick and his players are at right now – what you do off the field can be as important as your actions on it.
A key part of that is what you say in the media. It’s really important, as it’s your way of communicating directly with the fans and, interestingly, with the opposition as well. I’ve been really interested in the messaging coming out of the England camp in Verona this week.
On the back of a first loss to Italy and three straight defeats, the English rugby public is incredibly frustrated. That’s probably putting it mildly. The overriding feeling – which echoes my own – is that Borthwick’s team aren’t playing the right way to achieve success.
With that said, it’s very noteworthy the players have this week essentially doubled down on the fact they have full belief in the kick-heavy game plan Borthwick drives. I’ve already made clear that I vehemently disagree with that notion. I believe England must play with far greater pace and attacking venom. They have the players to do so, but must also get the basics back to a world-class level.
But when they take on France in Paris on Saturday night, it appears we can expect more of the same.
‘I don’t think the game plan needs to change at the moment,’ said scrum-half Ben Spencer. ‘We all believe in the plan. We haven’t gone too far away from what we did when we had 12 wins on the spin.’ Ben Earl’s assessment of the Italy game? ‘I actually thought we played pretty well.’
Steve Borthwick and his players are in a crisis after three straight defeats, but the messaging from the England camp has left some observers confused
Ben Spencer (right) has insisted England’s game plan doesn’t need to change, while Ben Earl (left) even claimed they played ‘pretty well’ in last weekend’s loss to Italy
England’s players are entitled to their opinion. On one hand I applaud their togetherness and I am pleased that nobody appears to have broken rank publicly. But in camp I hope there are teacups flying around!
Is anyone challenging the kick-heavy approach? Why the team is not contesting opposition lineouts? Why can’t England keep 15 men on the field? Why are they not throwing offloads or taking quick lineouts and penalties?
Not only is there clear proof that England are wrong in saying nothing needs to change, but the reasoning behind why they are saying so is also fundamentally flawed. This is the key point. The Six Nations table does not lie.
England did well to win 12 games in a row. But big deal. That run didn’t contain a Grand Slam or World Cup, where winning really counts. In international rugby, you can never, ever, afford to look backwards or rest on your laurels.
After the Scotland loss, England could wince and say: ‘You don’t become a bad team overnight.’ But after three terrible defeats, they need to be frank and accept that you are only as good as your last game.
Victory over New Zealand in November, who we now know were in such turmoil they subsequently sacked their coach, has absolutely zero standing today.
England are making a grave mistake by justifying their approach based on the past when everyone else has moved on. It’s the here and now that counts and how the team is playing is quite clearly not working. That much has been made clear in the losses to Scotland, Ireland, and Italy. It is not just the losses, but the way the team is losing.
If England lose in Paris, they will record their worst ever Six Nations finish and depending on results elsewhere, could even finish bottom of the table, something they haven’t done in this championship since 1987 when it was still the Five Nations. Forget what’s happened in the past. That would be proof of real trouble in the present.
Is anyone challenging the kick-heavy approach? Why the team is not contesting opposition lineouts? Why can’t England keep 15 men on the field?
If Maro Itoje’s men lose in Paris, they will record their worst ever Six Nations finish and depending on results elsewhere, could even finish bottom of the table
If I were in Borthwick’s shoes, I would be sending my team out at the Stade de France with one clear message – to score five tries. Go out there and attack like there is no tomorrow.
Because lose this game heavily and there really might be no tomorrow for Borthwick and some players. Forget the result. Aim to score five tries and if you do that, the result should take care of itself.
I did this many times in my coaching career. Most successfully, we took this attitude into our 26-26 draw with New Zealand in 1997. It was my fourth game in charge, after losing to the All Blacks and South Africa in the weeks before.
It can be a way of taking the shackles off a team, allowing them to release some of the pressure that has been on them. In our case, it even surprised some of the players, fans and press with what we were really capable of.
With the tournament lost, I would have deployed this approach against Italy in Rome but that opportunity came and went.
I hope that England publicly saying they will not deviate from the kicking game is in fact a double bluff and that all-out attack is actually what is planned for Saturday night! It is a fascinating game for so many reasons.
I know Scotland faced France at home, but for them to score 50 points against Les Bleus showed me that with the right approach, Fabien Galthie’s men can be targeted.
There can be no doubt this England team is now under massive, massive pressure. But pressure can also bring the best out of champion individuals and teams. But the way I see it, France are under far more pressure. That also makes them far more dangerous.
Before my England side played the All Blacks in 1997, I told them to attack and focus on scoring five tries. We ended up drawing 26-26 at Twickenham
Fabien Galthie’s France team showed vulnerability last time out against Scotland, conceding a mammoth 50 points. That should encourage England
They have the Championship on the line and everything to lose. Huge questions will have been raised by the manner of their loss to Scotland and losing to England, and with it the tournament, would set alarm bells ringing. It could also represent the end for Galthie.
Borthwick was certainly right this week when he said the run-up to the France game was no place for interference from the RFU over how the tournament has gone. As coach, his sole focus has to be the daunting challenge of Les Bleus. But what is going to happen in the coming weeks is anyone’s guess.
The RFU will, in all likelihood, undertake yet another review into the England team’s performance led by chief executive Bill Sweeney, performance director Conor O’Shea and other faceless committee members. We have been here before!
Borthwick is in a tough position with the way this Six Nations has gone. But he still needs to be strong enough to tell Sweeney and O’Shea not to interfere in the rugby operation – and, frankly, tell them where they can stick their review.
That’s because, as I’ve long argued, neither they nor anyone else at the RFU have the sporting knowledge to effectively question Borthwick or hold him to account.
In trying to figure out what has happened in this campaign, I can only assume that Borthwick and his coaches misinterpreted why they were successful in 2025.
In choosing to double down on the kicking game, they have made a mistake. I don’t care what the statistics say.
What next for England after their disappointing Six Nations? I’m sure we can expect another review from RFU chief executive Bill Sweeney (left) and performance director Conor O’Shea
My advice to Borthwick ahead of England’s showdown in France is simple: Forget the past. Hit the reset button. Attack, attack, attack
Great teams want the ball. England kick it away. Great teams do the basics better than anyone, but England’s lineout and discipline has been poor. Great teams can hurt you from anywhere. England have become one-dimensional and totally lacking ambition.
Borthwick deserves the chance to get England back on track and he should definitely lead England into the summer’s Nations Championship fixtures where the task is no easier facing South Africa, Fiji, and Argentina. These will be tough fixtures and a gruelling schedule.
As England try to turn things around, my message to Borthwick and the players is clear. Forget the past. Hit the reset button in Paris.
Only by staying in the present can they enact the necessary and much-needed change required to get this team back on track. Good luck Steve. Stay strong and attack, attack, attack!
