Steve Borthwick’s England Team Faces Challenge to Retain Fan Support

Following the 2023 World Cup, England’s head coach, Steve Borthwick, is in the process of rebuilding the squad. His tenure has seen a win record of precisely 50%, with 13 victories from 26 matches, a statistic established after the surprising 42-37 loss to Australia. This performance level is considered average and compares unfavorably to the records of his two predecessors, Eddie Jones (73%) and Stuart Lancaster (61%). However, this record must be viewed within its broader context. Borthwick is undertaking a team reconstruction, necessitated by the reliance on a veteran group of players during last year’s Rugby World Cup. Prominent figures such as Owen Farrell, Courtney Lawes, Manu Tuilagi, Billy Vunipola, Kyle Sinckler, Ben Youngs, Danny Care, and Jonny May, who were central to the team for the past ten years, are no longer part of the squad. Any such rebuilding process inherently requires time. Furthermore, while England has experienced five defeats in their last six fixtures, each of these losses occurred against elite opponents and was decided by a margin of a single score. These mitigating circumstances account for Steve Borthwick’s continued full backing from the Rugby Football Union. The RFU views Borthwick as a long-term appointment and recently granted him greater authority than any previous England head coach. Nevertheless, the significant defeat suffered against the Wallabies is likely to have tested the endurance of even England’s most devoted supporters. This result marked England’s sixth loss in ten matches during 2024, leading to their current position of seventh in the world rankings. Immediately following Saturday’s match, captain Jamie George addressed the “external noise” anticipated to follow the loss, emphasizing the squad’s imperative to “stay tight and keep believing.” With the arrival of double world champions South Africa next week, the response from Borthwick and the England team will be crucial. England’s two most notable victories under Borthwick’s leadership – against Argentina at the World Cup and Ireland in the Six Nations – both occurred when the team was largely dismissed. They are once again expected to be the underdogs against the Springboks, yet a strong possibility remains that England can challenge them closely. However, numerous areas require improvement. While the defensive performance appeared strong against New Zealand, it was notably permeable against the Wallabies. Borthwick attributed this to his team’s imprecise ball-handling and contact skills, though the ongoing instability within the backroom staff – a situation Borthwick reportedly wished to prevent – is unlikely to be beneficial. England has employed three distinct defence coaches over the last 12 months, with Joe el-Abd assuming the role at the close of September. None of these developments aligned with Borthwick’s original strategy. Despite George’s assertion that England understands its desired team identity, the squad continues to appear divided between two distinct approaches. Marcus Smith has been the starting fly-half for England’s last five matches, delivering an excellent performance against Australia. However, his playing style differs from that of the more seasoned George Ford, who was Borthwick’s preferred choice throughout the Six Nations and likely would have started the summer tour of New Zealand had he been fully fit. From a stylistic perspective, the team transitioned from a kick-first strategy employed at the World Cup to a more expansive methodology during the spring. Nevertheless, scrum-half Alex Mitchell, who was central to this tactical shift, has been absent from the two autumn opening fixtures. Borthwick has demonstrated confidence in Smith, though with reservations, evidenced by the introduction of Ford in the final quarter of both November matches in an effort to secure the victories. At the Allianz Stadium, jeers were heard when it appeared Smith was being substituted against the Wallabies – he was, in fact, shifted to full-back – and number eight Ben Earl subsequently acknowledged that England was indeed challenging the patience of its supporters. The two Test matches played this month have been exceptionally tight; England came within the width of a post and a fumbled kick-off of securing victories in both encounters. However, such fine margins are characteristic of elite-level rugby, and it is not by chance that the world’s leading teams consistently prevail in comparable scenarios. While England’s squad may not be abundant in international caps, sufficient experience is still present within the team structure. Supporters are likely to rapidly grow weary of discussions about “learning lessons” if tangible improvements are not demonstrated. It was noteworthy that Borthwick adopted a distinctly different demeanor in his post-match interviews following the Australia defeat compared to the previous week. Last weekend, he commended his team and highlighted the quality of the All Blacks; on this occasion, he displayed visible anger regarding his side’s imprecision and flawed decision-making, as England was drawn into an unstructured game that benefited Australia. Given that South Africa prepared for Saturday’s upcoming match by overcoming Scotland, Borthwick will be acutely aware of the substantial improvement required from England if they are to contend with the world’s top-ranked team and alleviate the prevailing sentiment at Twickenham.