England: Steve Borthwick addresses coaching staff changes following summer merry-go-round
Steve Borthwick believes there has been a 'pretty seamless' transition in the coaching staff
England head coach Steve Borthwick believes there has been a ‘pretty seamless’ transition in his coaching staff, following a summer of upheaval in his ranks.
Head of strength and conditioning Aled Walters and fellow strength and conditioning coach Tom Tombleson have both left their posts since England’s summer tour to Japan and New Zealand and Felix Jones is currently working remotely after resigning from his post as defence coach after the tour.
Joe El-Abd has come in as defence coach for the Autumn Nations Series, and elsewhere Richard Wigglesworth and Kevin Sinfield have both changed their titles, with Wigglesworth now senior assistant coach and Sinfield having ‘greater flexibility’ outside of Test windows.
“Pretty seamless in the way we operate”
After a busy summer, Borthwick believes the new changes have not affected the operation too much ahead of the crucial November Tests.
“I see that as being pretty seamless in terms of the way we operate. There is a whole lot of consistency there in Richard Wigglesworth, Tom Harrison, Kevin Sinfield and Andrew Strawbridge,” Borthwick told members of the media ahead of the Autumn Nations Series.
He also detailed El-Abd is someone he’s ‘known and respected for a long time’: “Clearly, there’s a change with Felix deciding he didn’t want to work with the England team going forward, but Joe’s a coach I’ve known and respected for a long time.”
“We know each other pretty well and he’s also somebody who has visited the camp many times previously. He has a pretty good understanding of how we operate.”
El-Abd is also currently director of rugby at Pro D2 side Oyonnax but will be splitting his time between both them and England for the November Tests and the 2025 Six Nations, before leaving the French club at the end of the current campaign.
“Analysis is one of Felix’s great strengths”
One of the big talking points in the England coaching merry-go-round this summer has been the role of Jones.
The former Springboks coach, who was part of their coaching staff for both the 2019 and 2023 World Cup triumphs, only joined England ahead of the 2024 Six Nations but resigned from his position after the Japan and New Zealand tour citing ‘unstable working conditions’.
Jones is now working out his 12-month notice period remotely, but Borthwick revealed he will still be playing an influential role within the England staff for the upcoming Tests.
“Analysis is one of Felix’s great strengths as a coach, and he’s been analysing and studying the opposition,” Borthwick said.
“He’s also been doing the handover and transition to Joe El-Abd to take our defence forward.”
England now prepare for four crucial Tests with New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and Japan.
