I was England manager when Steve Borthwick earned his first cap as a 22-year-old in a 48-17 win over France in 2001. He also came off the bench in the famous match against Australia in Melbourne in 2002. Years later, I remember how delighted I was to see him at the heart of Japan’s success at the 2015 World Cup, beginning his coaching career with a unique experience.
I am not the first person to describe Borthwick as a very humble man and much has been written about his meticulous attention to detail as a coach. This is a great trait, but I would urge Borthwick to add another trait to his repertoire in 2025. bold.
With the World Cup just two years away, it’s time to make a statement. Selection is your most important skill as a coach. This is your biggest weapon, especially when you need to provoke a reaction and get out of shock. While it is good to be consistent in selection, there are some players who are selected based on what they have done in the past.
People make a big deal out of dropping a player, but often it may be the best thing for them.
I looked at the likes of Dan Cole, Tom Curry, Henry Slade and Jamie George and couldn’t help but think that without them England would be a quicker and less predictable attacking team.
You should never pick a young player. That could end in disaster. But if they are as good as the older players, make a change and give it a try. It’s amazing how well a young player will play when he knows he’s been given the opportunity, the impact it has on the whole group, and how well even the dropped players respond.
Steve Borthwick must start making bold choices if he is to help England progress.
The World Cup is two years away. Now is the time to start experimenting and dropping stars.
If Borthwick has the courage to drop captain Jamie George along with the others, England will be quicker and less predictable.
As a coach, sometimes I can be a bit playful, but it’s actually a lot of fun. Lawrence Dallaglio looked really good against Australia during the week, but he was ruled out for the next game against New Zealand. It was only after speaking to him in the scariest meeting in history that I realized it had to be his 50th cap. oh.
But Lewis Moody came on and showed his ability to score a good try from a corner, with Lawrence unable to come off the bench quickly enough. When given the opportunity, he rose to a higher level.
A bold approach to selection is important following the introduction of enhanced elite playing squad contracts. Let’s send the message that no one’s choice is guaranteed, with or without an EPS contract.
At the top of my list to start with is Henry Pollock. He’s about to turn 20 and has incredible talent. He’s not the biggest guy, but what does Curry have that he doesn’t have? speed. He is too fast. He is playing for Northampton’s European rugby first team and is doing really well in the process.
Imagine an England back row featuring Pollock, Tom Willis and Ben Earl. If you were the opposing coach, you’d think, ‘Wow, these guys are really going to test us.’
There’s a lot of talk about defense changes, but why isn’t there any talk about offense? England have the pace to beat Ireland. I used to say that it’s easy to be critical in the green seats. Yes, I am not in the coaching box. But I think these guys are ready now.
I would like to ask Borthwick to be more creative. Bath No.8’s Alfie Barbeary is one to keep an eye on. When Barbeary had success with Wasps a few years ago, everyone knew he was a special talent, but he never reached anywhere near his potential. He is a unit and a fantastic player, but I don’t think he will ever play in the back row for England.
Why can’t Borthwick do with Barbeary what we did with Steve Thompson? The first time I met Thompson he was on tour in the US and UK. Phil Keith-Roach said to me, ‘This guy knows he’s not fast enough to play in the back row for England, but he’s ready to play hooker.’
I will make Maro Itoje the captain. Because he is the only player who has never left his club or national team.
Now it’s time to give boundless prodigy Henry Pollock a chance at the back row. This will be a test for opposing coaches (England A photo)
Alfie Barbeary in Bath deserves a chance with its prostitutes and you will end up with a good relationship in the long run.
We did a lot with him, and eventually he became our only irreplaceable player in 2003. We have never had a prostitute as capable as him. Imagine what a great story it would be if Borthwick could do the same as Barbeary.
The combination of Barbeary and Theo Dan would put England in a very strong position for the long term with the Prostitutes. George can still play a big part in the England team and commands great respect within the England team, but he is not at the top of his game. I don’t think he should be captain. why? Because he doesn’t play for 80 minutes.
Sir Clive Woodward says Borthwick should try something new and risk upsetting celebrities.
Dylan Hartley had a similar problem. He came up to me one time and said, ‘You keep telling me I shouldn’t be captain.’ I told him it was because he kept backing away. ‘If I were you and you’re fit enough to play for 80 minutes, I’d be really angry at the coach who takes you out,’ he said. If you don’t have enough stamina to play for 80 minutes, you shouldn’t be on the team.
I don’t want to see George quit the game with more than 20 minutes remaining and England lose at Bell. Your expression doesn’t look good. It’s a shame that it seems to have become a trend. The captain must start and finish. It’s a simple equation.
We were lucky because we had Dallaglio and Martin Johnson. Neither of them had any intention of me taking off. One player who is never left out of the club or national team is Maro Itoje.
He is the captain of Saracens and for me he should be the captain of England. In George’s case, it could bring about a similar turnaround to what Joe Root found when he was relieved of the England cricket captaincy in favor of Ben Stokes.
In my column last week I covered the case of Fin Smith playing at 12 alongside Tommy Freeman. I support that, but sometimes it’s okay to think outside the box. Inside center is a problematic position for England. I’m not sure of Slade’s or Ollie Lawrence’s opinion.
There are plenty of players Borthwick could try out for, but what about finding rugby league? People around the league have said Herbie Farnworth will join the XV squad. Let’s talk to him.
Why not get Herbie Farnworth from rugby league? He can be the solution to number 12
We’re not sure about inside centers Henry Slade or Ollie Lawrence, so let’s get creative.
There are plenty of negative headlines about rugby, but there are a few plays Borthwick can make to really excite the public. George Hendy was able to bring the crowd to their feet as a full-back. I like Borthwick because he will be asked a lot of questions about politics and it can make for an awkward press conference.
Bill Sweeney bonus row, club-country contract, Immanuel Feyi-Waboso running or not… It’s all a huge distraction.
Inevitably, when those questions arise, there needs to be a rugby coach on hand to answer them. He’s completely open and that’s a big ask for a young coach.
England have fantastic players on paper, but they need to be selected first and then properly coached. That’s all I want to hear Borthwick say.
