Opinion: Steve Borthwick’s ‘balls of steel’ calls pay off as ‘soft underbelly’ gone with England stars set for Lions recognition
England head coach Steve Borthwick is praised for his bold calls.
The nearly men of autumn, nearly men again. An England team which built a reputation for getting close and missing out, did so once more on prize giving weekend in the Six Nations.
It played itself into position to win European rugby’s most coveted title, only to have it snatched away by France in the final half of the final match under the Parisian lights.
This, though, was emphatically different. England did not come up short due to a missed drop goal at the death, a last-gasp penalty striking a post or a fluffed restart with the clock in the red.
They did not leave the back door open, as they had against New Zealand, Australia and South Africa, with a defensive system unfit for purpose. That soft underbelly of autumn was gone.
No weakness
On a transformative afternoon for Red Rose rugby, England displayed no weakness whatsoever. They pulverised Wales, scoring 10 tries in a 68-14 rout which pretty much rewrote the record book.
Ultimately, their biggest win in Cardiff – scoring more points than Wales had ever conceded to England – was not enough for them to meet their prime target.
Despite forcing Matt Sherratt’s hapless side to ship a greater number of points on home soil than any Welsh side had ever done, inflicting a Six Nations loss without equal on this proudest of rugby countries, England lost out to France.
Yet as a hobbling Antoine Dupont lifted the trophy at Stade de France with captain for the night Greg Alldritt, it is reasonable to suggest there were few more contented onlookers than England head coach Steve Borthwick.
The sport’s richest and best resourced nation had finished second best, but his team’s metamorphosis over six weeks was without rival.
43 days ago England were beaten by Ireland much more comprehensively than the scoreline suggested. Although they edged France and Scotland it was more the opposition losing the game – Les Bleus could not catch a cold, the Scots couldn’t kick goals for toffee.
England misfired, were confused and unsure of themselves. On their best days they were damned with faint praise. Through it all, Borthwick held his nerve.
Changing his captain, swapping Jamie George for Maro Itoje, was a huge call. Replacing player-of-the-autumn Marcus Smith at fly-half with namesake Fin took balls of steel.
When Ollie Lawrence ruptured an Achilles he completely changed a midfield which had equalled the national record for most consecutive Tests played together.
Centre switch
He dropped the vastly experienced Henry Slade and moved Tommy Freeman from the wing into centre, where he had not played at Test level.
Northampton might be Premiership champions but they languish eighth of 10 this season. By the end Borthwick was picking their backline pretty much en bloc.
His calculated gambles kept coming. Redeploying Marcus Smith at full-back, reintegrating George as a foot soldier, moving number eight Ben Earl into the centres, starting the Curry twins together, blooding Henry Pollock just weeks after he turned 20.
In Cardiff, the young flanker rewarded the faith with two tries off the bench as England silenced the Principality Stadium to claim their best tournament finish since becoming champions in the Covid year of 2020.
On another day it might have brought the main prize. France are worthy champions for what they did to Ireland at the Aviva Stadium in Round Four, but they rode their luck before pulling clear of Scotland.
Peato Mauvaka should have been shown a straight red for his head to head horizontal lunge at Ben White just 21 minutes in. Not too many agreed with the official verdict that it lacked “a high degree of danger”.
Scotland thought they were ahead at half-time, only for Tom Jordan’s try to be chalked off by a late call from the TMO, who noticed Blair Kinghorn tickle the touchline in the build-up.
Darcy Graham then ran a line inside Finn Russell which had try written all over it, only for the ball to go to ground and France to score at the other end – Louis Bielle-Biarrey scampering away to equal the individual record of eight in a campaign.
That passage of play rather summed up Scotland’s evening; one in which they made more than 1000 metres, including nine visits to the French 22, and had one try to show for it.
Le Bomb Squad
Like England in Cardiff, France possessed too much power. Fabien Galthie was able to turn turn to his Bomb Squad on 47 minutes, send on five forwards and put the contest to bed.
The upshot was a 30-try campaign, bettering the record of 29 set by England in 2001. A team mortified by its profligacy at Twickenham making spectacular amends in the final two rounds.
Shaun Edwards’ defence was everything you would expect. He used the word resilient. That and much more. The way they absorbed the best of Ireland before sticking 42 points on them, the 176 tackles with which they contained, then disheartened, Scotland.
Time will tell whether that earns Edwards a place on the plane to Australia with the Lions. Andy Farrell names his management team a week on Wednesday. There is no-one more deserving.
The fact Farrell was in Cardiff rather than Paris or Rome, where ‘his’ Ireland team struggled to beat Italy despite a Dan Sheehan hat-trick, could be construed as the biggest compliment to Borthwick’s revolution.
👉 Le Bomb Squad fires France to Six Nations title as Scotland threat disarmed in Paris
Six weeks ago he could have named on one hand the England certainties to tour. Now his hands are full, with Itoje front runner for the captaincy.
Most intriguing of all will be his selection at fly-half. You would give your last fiver to watch Finn Russell play every week. But with his brilliance come errors which cost Scotland dear in this tournament.
Four Tests ago Fin Smith had not worn a number 10 shirt at international level. Four wins later he has barely made a mistake, kicked almost everything and tackled the house down.
If one player is emblematic of the journey England have been on it is him. For Smith and his country, one suspects, that journey is only just beginning.
👉 READ MORE: Steve Borthwick gives forthright view on Maro Itoje’s British & Irish Lions captaincy chances
