RFU make decision on Steve Borthwick future after ‘detailed and robust review’ of Six Nations campaign
England head coach Steve Borthwick watches his team train ahead of the France XV match this weekend
England head coach Steve Borthwick has retained the support of the Rugby Football Union (RFU), following an in-depth review into their Six Nations campaign.
The public backing of support follows a previous statement from RFU boss Bill Sweeney in the immediate aftermath of their defeat to Italy, which again insisted he had the backing of the higher-ups in the governing body.
Borthwick took over as England head coach in December 2022, and has since taken the national side to a World Cup semi-final; but they have also failed to win the Six Nations in his tenure.
Steve Borthwick retains RFU backing following Six Nations review
In a statement, the RFU said: “Following the conclusion of the Guinness Men’s Six Nations, the RFU, with the support of external independent contributors, has completed a detailed and robust review of the campaign, informed by players, coaches and the wider back-room team.
“The process included a series of in‑person one‑to‑one conversations, enabling open, constructive and, at times, challenging discussions.
“These conversations, along with other insight, helped ensure the review was grounded in honesty and a focused assessment of where things didn’t go well across the Championship.
“The review concluded that, despite coming off a 12‑game winning run, England’s underperformance across the Six Nations was not the result of a singular failure or issue.
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“Instead, it highlighted a number of interconnected performance areas, such as discipline, execution of opportunities and making the most of key moments, where improvement is required if England are to consistently perform at the level expected.
“While performance confidentiality in a competitive international sporting environment limits the level of detail that can be shared publicly – particularly around game strategy and execution – the way in which the team aspires to play was clear throughout the review.
“We recognise why supporters felt frustrated and that they expected more. That disappointment was shared internally, and it underpinned the seriousness with which everyone engaged in this process.
“England head coach Steve Borthwick has engaged in the review with honesty and rigour, and he and his coaching team are already addressing issues identified.”
Commenting further, Sweeney added: “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.
“We’ve all seen what this England side is capable of – most recently in the performance against France, and during the strong winning run before that.
“That doesn’t disappear overnight. The challenge now is delivering that level consistently, and we are confident this group can do that, supported by the insight and feedback this review has surfaced.
“This is a young England team that is still growing and developing, and we understand progress in international sport is rarely linear.
“Steve has engaged in this process with full openness and has clear plans in place to address these findings. We are all behind him and his coaching team going into the Nations Championship and the series of matches leading into Rugby World Cup 2027.”
