Steve Borthwick gets his way in club v country battle as England appoint coach with ‘track record of success’

Louis Chapman Coombe
Steve Borthwick ahead of England's game against Japan.

Steve Borthwick ahead of England's game against Japan.

England Rugby have finally confirmed the appointment of Phil Morrow as Senior Men’s head of team performance, after previous attempts were blocked.

Morrow’s appointment caused some controversy back when it was first touted in October, with Premiership clubs initially rejecting the move on the grounds of ‘conflict of interest’, however, it now appears Borthwick has got his man with Morrow set to leave Saracens at the end of the 2024/25 season.

The Saracens coach also signed a four-year-deal just months ago, but will now leave the club at the end of the season to take up his post with England.

His appointment also comes following the departure of Aled Walters to Ireland.

Phil Morrow appointed England Senior Men’s head of team performance

Commenting on the news, Borthwick said: “Phil is widely recognised as one of the most accomplished and respected figures in the game.

“His track record of success with Saracens speaks for itself. Phil has dedicated his career to helping players maximise their physical performance and is known for his relentless drive and ability to push standards to the highest level.

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“I’m confident that England will greatly benefit from having Phil as part of the coaching set-up, and we are delighted he is joining later this year.”

Morrow has coached both at club and international level, and brings 24 years of experience to the role. His career began with Ulster, where he played a key role in their 2006 Celtic League title win. He then moved to the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) as their high-performance fitness manager in 2007.

In 2010, he joined the Ireland coaching staff as head of fitness for the IRFU, overseeing the strength and conditioning of all four Irish provinces and the national team.

He was later appointed Saracens’ head of strength and conditioning in 2011, before moving to head of performance, and helped the club win five Premiership titles and three Champions Cups.

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“I’m incredibly proud to be joining England Rugby,” Morrow added.

“I’ve worked in the Premiership for a long time and, week in, week out, I see the quality of the players we have in England. The clubs do an outstanding job of developing these players, and I look forward to working with them to help them reach their full potential.

“Under Steve, the England team is in an exciting phase of growth and development, and I cannot wait to start contributing to the team’s future success.”

Morrow also gave thanks to Saracens for his time in North London.

“I want to express my gratitude to Saracens’ ownership for making this opportunity possible. I’d also like to extend my heartfelt thanks to Mark McCall. Having worked with Mark on and off for 20 years, he has been both an incredible colleague and a close friend. His support in this decision means a great deal to me.”

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