Ollie Lawrence and Elliot Daly have lost their England central contracts as head coach Steve Borthwick names a 25-man squad ahead of next year's World Cup, with Alex Coles and Asher Opoku-Fordjour among the new inclusions.
England head coach Steve Borthwick has named 25 players for enhanced contracts worth around £150,000 for the 2026-27 season, handing first-time elite deals to five players while dropping several regular names.
England's worst Six Nations performance has contributed to the Rugby Football Union expecting a £10m loss for the financial year ending June 2026, driven by reduced prize money and a light home fixture calendar.
England rugby players, including No 8 Ben Earl, have criticized the new Nations Championship format due to extensive travel across three continents for successive Test matches, citing player welfare and reduced preparation time as key concerns.
England rugby coach Steve Borthwick draws inspiration from Thomas Tuchel's approach to managing high-expectation teams, focusing on preparation and continuous improvement. He sees potential in new talent like Henry Pollock and considers tactical experiments, such as using Marcus Smith at scrum-half, to build a more attacking and successful England side for future tournaments.
Steve Borthwick acknowledges the "hurt and pain" of England's losing streak but deflects questions about his job security before the Fiji game. He names a conservative starting XV, including Henry Slade's return, and discusses the team's defensive shortcomings after the South Africa loss.
Henry Slade returns to England's starting lineup for the Test against Fiji, aiming to prevent a sixth consecutive defeat. Steve Borthwick's team features several changes, including new faces on the bench and a reshuffling of the backline.
England's rugby squad for the Fiji match includes newcomers Benhard Janse van Rensburg and Noah Caluori, both set to earn their first caps from the bench. Bristol prop George Kloska is also in line for his Test debut. Janse van Rensburg, 29, qualifies via residency, while 19-year-old Caluori is a top try-scorer.
Steve Borthwick recalls Henry Slade to England's starting XV to face Fiji, aiming to break a six-match losing streak. Slade, who had a strong domestic season, returns to the midfield, while Tommy Freeman moves to the wing. Guy Pepper also starts.
England's rugby team suffered a significant 45-21 defeat against South Africa, raising concerns about Steve Borthwick's coaching and the team's development. Despite facing a depleted Springboks side, England's performance highlighted defensive weaknesses, ill-discipline, and coaching staff departures, casting doubt on their prospects for the upcoming Fiji match and future tournaments.
England's rugby team faces a challenging Nations Championship debut with three Tests across continents in three weeks. The reappointment of veteran Jamie George as captain, in Maro Itoje's absence, raises questions about the management's confidence amid a four-match losing streak.
England coach Steve Borthwick plans to rest captain Maro Itoje for the summer Tests against South Africa, Fiji, and Argentina. This decision hinges on the availability of other second-row players, George Martin and Alex Coles, who must emerge unscathed from their weekend matches. Itoje's potential rest acknowledges his demanding year, including captaining the Lions and personal loss, and his extensive Test minutes over the past decade.
The English Premiership semi-finals showcased brilliant rugby, leading to a Northampton v Exeter final. This presents an opportunity for England to embrace a more dynamic, attacking style, potentially identifying future national team talent beyond current coach Steve Borthwick.
England coach Steve Borthwick defends selecting Benhard Janse van Rensburg, who qualifies via residency, over players from England's pathway system. Janse van Rensburg previously played for South Africa U20s.
England's head coach Steve Borthwick is considering resting senior players, including captain Maro Itoje, for upcoming Nations Championship games in July. Decisions will be finalized by June 22.
If supporters want transparency, they won’t find it in the rubber-stamping of Steve Borthwick’s coaching teamThere has been a lot of fuss in recent days about French TV directors not giving rugby fans the full picture. In that particular department, sadly, there remains a runaway market leader. To say the Rugby Football Union’s public response to England’s disappointing Six Nations campaign has failed to supply all the relevant angles is an understatement.In an ideal world, there would have been a media conference with Bill Sweeney, the RFU’s chief executive, alongside Steve Borthwick, his head coach, presenting a united, purposeful front and outlining precisely why the status quo needs preserving despite England having racked up four championship defeats for the first time since 1976. Instead, there was only a “Don’t tell ‘em, Pike” statement on email best summarised in four words: “Nothing to see here.” Continue reading...
England suffered four defeats in dismal Six NationsBill Sweeney says improvement not ‘one simple answer’Steve Borthwick and his coaching staff are to remain in charge of England’s men’s team despite the squad’s worst Five or Six Nations for 50 years. The Rugby Football Union has opted to back Borthwick and his lieutenants through to next year’s Rugby World Cup in Australia having completed what it described as “a detailed and robust review” of England’s latest campaign.Despite having lost four Five or Six Nations games in the same season for the first time since 1976, the RFU has chosen to keep faith with the Borthwick regime in the belief that things can only get better. The union has decided that sacking the head coach is not the optimal solution, having previously dispensed with Eddie Jones’s services nine months prior to the 2023 World Cup. Continue reading...
