Steve Borthwick fights for England job ahead of France Six Nations finale
England head coach Steve Borthwick is fighting to save his job ahead of Saturday’s crucial Six Nations finale against title-chasing France in Paris following a disastrous tournament.
A defeat across the Channel could result in the national team finishing a Six Nations campaign with only a single victory for the very first time.
The hosts, meanwhile, must secure a win in the French capital to clinch the championship after suffering a wild defeat by Scotland.
“England versus France is one of the great rivalries in rugby and we’re looking forward to the occasion.”
Steve Borthwick
Mounting pressure and tactical flaws
Serious questions are now being asked about the 44-year-old’s safety-first gameplan.
His conservative strategy relies heavily on winning aerial contests, while both the lineout and breakdown have severely regressed.
Discipline remains a monumental issue for the struggling squad.
The former Leicester Tigers boss has watched his players receive at least one yellow card in every single match of this championship.
Disciplinary issues plague campaign
“In every game we have played with men down; the number of cards has been at an unacceptable level and that gives opportunities for the opposition.”
Steve Borthwick
He noted that the constant numerical disadvantage adds extra physical load to his squad while severely restricting attacking opportunities.
Despite identifying these glaring problems, the coaching staff’s messaging during the week has seemingly failed to register with the players.
Keeping a full complement of 15 men on the pitch in Paris would represent a significant improvement in itself.
False dawn of a winning streak
The current crisis sits in stark contrast to the 12-Test winning run the side enjoyed earlier this season.
However, with the benefit of hindsight, that sequence of victories appears significantly less impressive.
A narrow one-point victory over Les Bleus at Twickenham relied on the visitors butchering multiple scoring chances.
Furthermore, a supposedly momentous win over New Zealand has been devalued following the recent dismissal of All Blacks head coach Scott Robertson.
Following a humiliating recent defeat by Italy in Rome, time appears to be rapidly running out for the current regime.
