Meet England’s new addition to the coaching team as Sale Sharks agree to ‘combined’ role

England have confirmed that Byron McGuigan will join Steve Borthwick’s coaching team for the upcoming Autumn Nations Series.

McGuigan will join an England side well on the up following a much-improved Six Nations, with fans now expecting their side to kick on as they approach the hump of their World Cup cycle.

McGuigan to join England – All the information you need

• McGuigan joins on a combined role alongside his duties at Sale Sharks
• McGuigan will work closely with assistant coach Andrew Strawbridge on the collision area
• Steve Borthwick says that he has an excellent understanding of the game and a real passion for improving players

What does McGuigan’s role entail?

McGuigan, currently defence coach at Sale Sharks, will support the England setup in a combined role, joining the national team during the international windows of the 2025/26 season while continuing his club duties with Sale.

In his England role, McGuigan will work closely with assistant coach Andrew Strawbridge on the collision area, helping to develop players’ contact skills. He will also focus on the back three, sharing his experience as a former international winger to help enhance their skills and tactical understanding.

Why did Steve Borthwick select McGuigan?

“Byron is a knowledgeable and driven coach with a real passion for improving players,” said Borthwick.

“He has an excellent understanding of the game, both as an international player and now as a coach. I’m looking forward to the impact he’ll make during the autumn.”

McGuigan made over 100 appearances for Sale Sharks during his playing career and earned 10 caps for Scotland. He was appointed defence coach at Sale in November 2024 and, earlier this year, was part of England’s successful summer tour of Argentina and the USA.

“It was a huge privilege to be involved during the summer, and I’m excited to be back to contribute to the team,” said McGuigan.

“I’m very grateful to Sale for supporting me in taking on this opportunity alongside my club role. It’s a fantastic chance to continue developing as a coach while contributing to both teams.”

When are England’s Autumn international matches?

England begin their 2025 Quilter Nations Series campaign on Saturday 1 November, when they host Australia at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham (kick-off 3.10pm), followed by matches against Fiji, New Zealand, and Argentina.

Who has been selected in the squad?

Forwards:
Fin Baxter (Harlequins), Ollie Chessum (Leicester Tigers), Alex Coles (Northampton Saints), Luke Cowan-Dickie (Sale Sharks), Chandler Cunningham-South (Harlequins), Theo Dan (Saracens), Ben Earl (Saracens), Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears), Jamie George (Saracens, capt), Joe Heyes (Leicester Tigers), Emeka Ilione (Leicester Tigers), Maro Itoje (Saracens), Nick Isiekwe (Saracens), Asher Opoku-Fordjour (Sale Sharks), Guy Pepper (Bath Rugby), Henry Pollock (Northampton Saints), Bevan Rodd (Sale Sharks), Will Stuart (Bath Rugby), Sam Underhill (Bath Rugby).

Backs:
Henry Arundell (Bath Rugby), Fraser Dingwall (Northampton Saints), Immanuel Feyi-Waboso (Exeter Chiefs), George Ford (Sale Sharks), Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints), Ollie Lawrence (Bath Rugby), Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints), Cadan Murley (Harlequins), Max Ojomoh (Bath Rugby), Raffi Quirke (Sale Sharks), Adam Radwan (Leicester Tigers), Tom Roebuck (Sale Sharks), Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs), Fin Smith (Northampton Saints), Marcus Smith (Harlequins), Ben Spencer (Bath Rugby), Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers).

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