Steve Borthwick has insisted he feels the England supporters’ “hurt and pain” as he accepted the scrutiny on his position ahead of a crucial clash with Fiji rugby.
Borthwick’s side have lost their last five games, a run that encompassed their worst Six Nations campaign and continued in last week’s Nations Championship opener against South Africa.
England were last beaten in six successive Tests in 2006, a run that led to the resignation of Andy Robinson later that year, and face a tough trip to take on Argentina in Santiago del Estero next weekend.
It makes the encounter with Fiji at Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium vital, with a near-capacity crowd expected in Liverpool for a rare England outing in the north.
Having recalled his first trip to see the side face the All Blacks at Old Trafford as a child, Borthwick embraced the pressure that comes with his position as he seeks an improved showing form his squad.
“When this team doesn’t perform the way we want it, we feel the hurt and pain that our supporters feel and we feel it so much because we all care so much,” Borthwick explained.
“I think that we’ve been doing this a long time: playing for England, captain of England, assistant coach, head coach. I’ve been doing it a lot of years and understanding what comes with it and understanding how to manage those different aspects.”
“The people who don’t get to watch England all the time are now going to have the chance to watch England. There’ll be thousands of people watching England for the first time live this Saturday up at Everton.
“When I saw [England vs New Zealand in 1997], I was hooked. I wanted to play for England and then, when you can no longer play for England, I wanted to coach England and help this England team. And by doing that – because nobody makes you do that – you do that and you accept the scrutiny, you accept the pressure, you accept the expectation because you want to try and achieve some great things.
“I understand why you ask the question because my whole career I’ve been asked questions like that. All I focus upon is this Saturday. That’s all I ever did as a player, that’s all I do as a coach, focus on this Saturday and help this team prepare and that’s what I’m doing. I hope that this weekend we can get back to the winning ways we want to be and hopefully the players can put on a performance that does inspire – like I was back in 1997.”
Borthwick has named three debutants on the bench for the encounter in Liverpool, with Bristol’s George Kloska and Benhard Janse van Rensburg joined by Saracens starlet Noah Caluori.
Janse van Rensburg, born in Pretoria, became eligible for England this week having served a five-year residency period, and Borthwick is excited to see the centre feature.
“His commitment and what he has shown since I first started talking to him has been top class,” the England head coach said. “What he gives as a squad member here, other players are better because of his presence.
“That is a really big factor, the effect you have on others around you. He brings power and physicality as well as distribution in the centre. We see the game now – and we saw it on Saturday [against South Africa] – those teams that have that power is significant.”
