A new era for England is set to begin today (December 19) with the confirmation of Steve Borthwick as head coach. The PA news agency understands the 43-year-old Cumbrian will be be officially announced as Eddie Jones’ successor after a deal was finalised on yesterday morning.
Borthwick is due to appear at a press conference at Twickenham, when it is expected a clearer picture over the make-up of his management team will emerge. He has been recruited from Leicester, where he has acted as director of rugby since 2020, steering the club to last season’s Gallagher Premiership title victory.
Jones was sacked almost two weeks ago after presiding over England’s worst year of results since 2008, managing only five wins from 12 games. Warren Gatland, Ronan O’Gara and Scott Robertson were among the names touted to replace Jones, but Borthwick has been the Rugby Football Union’s overwhelming preference to take over.
Before transforming Leicester from a fallen giant of English club rugby into Premiership champions, the former Saracens captain spent eight years as an international assistant coach – all under Jones. Upon hanging up his boots, he launched his coaching career with Japan in 2012 and then joined his tracksuit mentor when he was appointed England boss in the aftermath of the disastrous 2015 World Cup.
Borthwick’s role was overseeing the forwards, with the line-out his main area of expertise, but he also performed the key role of coaching coordinator and was seen as the glue behind the scenes. Since his departure, England have struggled for consistency as the churn of backroom staff accelerated in the face of Jones’ demanding managerial style.
When Borthwick took over Leicester were reeling from their 11th-place finish in the 2019-20 season and were only spared relegation by Saracens’ salary cap scandal, which resulted in the London club dropping out of the Premiership instead. The ship was steadied by finishing sixth a campaign later and despite operating under the salary cap limit, he went on to mastermind Leicester’s first league title since 2013.
Now in charge of England, he must lift another team out of he doldrums – although this time he has the World Cup looming on the horizon. Only five competitive fixtures in the form of the Six Nations await before the global showpiece in France next autumn, with four warm-up matches providing additional preparation time.
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