Steve Borthwick set to receive contract extension as England head coach
Steve Borthwick is set to receive a contract extension as England head coach to prevent uncertainty engulfing the team before next year’s Rugby World Cup, reports BritPanorama.
The Rugby Football Union plans to extend Borthwick’s existing deal beyond the 2028 Six Nations, ensuring that he and his coaching staff are not forced to search for new jobs while preparing for the tournament in Australia.
However, the agreement will only run into the middle of 2028 and does not represent a long-term commitment to the 46-year-old. Instead, the additional months will give the RFU time to conduct a full assessment of England’s World Cup performance before deciding who should lead the national side into its next cycle.
Performance director Conor O’Shea confirmed the governing body wanted to remove any doubt surrounding the coaches’ immediate futures. “You don’t want them looking for a job going into [a World Cup],” O’Shea said. “Everyone knows it will be judged on the World Cup, but you can’t have a group of coaches going in with that uncertainty, especially when you look at the timing. So we will give that certainty, and that will give us time to look properly.”
The RFU adopted a similar approach with Red Roses head coach John Mitchell before the women’s World Cup in 2025. Borthwick was backed to remain in charge following a review into England’s “horrendous” Six Nations campaign earlier this year. O’Shea has since insisted he cannot envisage a scenario in which the former Leicester Tigers boss is not leading the team in Australia.
England showed signs of recovery during the July stage of the Nations Championship. They responded to a damaging defeat by South Africa in Johannesburg by beating Fiji in Liverpool and edging past Argentina, finishing with two victories from their three matches. O’Shea believes England possess sufficient quality to challenge for the Webb Ellis Cup, despite their recent inconsistency. “I see in Steve someone who bleeds England, and wants England to succeed more than anything you can imagine,” he said. “This England team is unequivocally one of probably five teams who can win the World Cup next year. I believe this team can win a World Cup.”
“Is the talent there? 100%. “If over this next 12 months this England team shows the best version of itself, I know it can beat anyone in the world.” The RFU’s cautious approach differs from that of Ireland, who have handed Andy Farrell a contract running until 2031. O’Shea also defended England’s policy of selecting only players based in the Premiership, despite renewed calls for a change.
But O’Shea warned that relaxing the policy could encourage leading players to move abroad and reduce investment in English clubs and their development systems. “I get it completely, the life experiences are great,” he said. “But for the English game, it is absolutely the right thing.”
As the countdown to the World Cup continues, Borthwick’s leadership will be critical, shaping not only the team’s immediate future but also the broader landscape of English rugby.
