Ex-England star accuses RFU boss of having ‘blinkers on’ following Steve Borthwick backing
Ex-England star accuses RFU boss of having 'blinkers on' following Steve Borthwick backing
The top bosses at the Rugby Football Union have backed Steve Borthwick following a review into England’s worst-ever Six Nations campaign.
“This has been a thorough and honest review, and it is clear that improvement will come from addressing several areas rather than chasing one simple answer,” CEO Bill Sweeney said after reportedly offering him a contract that extends beyond the 2027 World Cup.
RFU performance director Conor O’Shea echoed the sentiment, noting that they want Borthwick fully focused on the job in hand heading into next year’s finals in Australia.
This show of faith will no doubt fill Borthwick with confidence; however, not everyone is impressed with the decision to stick with a coach who has delivered a win percentage of just 59.6% after four years in charge – 13.2% less than that of his predecessor Eddie Jones.
“Conor O’Shea has some blinkers on,” Ben Youngs said on the For The Love Of Rugby podcast. “If you look at Conor O’Shea and Bill Sweeney, they’re responsible for making sure England Rugby is set to go and win and be successful.
“On the back of the review – and no one’s seen the review; no one even knows who was in the review – they have backed him.”
England have won just three matches in 2026, recording five Test losses, including a first-ever defeat to Italy. Although they won two out of their three summer Nations Championship matches, if they’re unable to continue their recent run of form, then pressure could soon re-emerge on Borthwick heading into the World Cup year.
The last time England headed into a World Cup year, they had just parted ways with Jones and Borthwick, the obvious successor, guiding the former champions to a third-placed finish in France.
Youngs, who was a part of that 2023 squad, does not wish to see a change happen so close to the tournament again. “If they change him before the World Cup, then you’d argue Bill has to go and so does Conor because they ha ve got it wrong. They have backed him and if it doesn’t work out, they’re all accountable for making that decision.”
Looking on the positive side
On the flip side, if England do find success under Borthwick over the next 12 months, then the lead-up to the World Cup could look very different. “England gets success, they perform, they put a run together and everything looks so different this time next year as we go to the World Cup, we’re sat here going, ‘England genuinely got a shot’.
“Steve could have a massive say in that, and if the World Cup goes well, then you review it and maybe you extend it, but like right now, to make that decision, I just don’t see that’s the right thing.”
Dan Cole didn’t agree with his long-time teammate, saying: “You can extend him or not, it doesn’t mean he’s secure post-World Cup.”
“If the World Cup does go bad, I’m assuming there would still be a break clause in that?” asked Youngs.
“Yeah, and it’s only for another six [months],” confirmed Cole. “It’s only until the end of the season that the World Cup finishes in November time. So then you’ve got the Six Nations and then you’ve got summer. And if it goes really badly, I’m sure they’ll make a change. But those coaches then will get paid out ’til the summer and they will have time to find a job.
“If your contract finishes after the World Cup finals, then during that World Cup lead-up period you are not focused on the team. It’s only human to go. I haven’t got a job after this. You cover them for the World Cup year plus one, so they can focus on the World Cup, and they are not going into the World Cup having conversations [with other teams].
“Whether it goes badly or not, if the World Cup means the most, you can then make a reflection on how that World Cup has gone on your staff, rather than pre-World Cup having a dead duck walking around.
“I just think it takes the personalities and people out of it. It makes sense, you can extend him or not. Like it doesn’t mean he’s secure post-World Cup.”