RFU backs head coach Steve Borthwick amid Six Nations struggles
Bill Sweeney, the Rugby Football Union’s chief executive, has thrown his weight behind head coach Steve Borthwick despite England’s calamitous Six Nations campaign, reports BritPanorama.
The RFU supremo conceded that recent performances have fallen well short of expectations following three successive championship defeats. England’s tournament has unravelled spectacularly, culminating in Saturday’s unprecedented 23-18 loss to Italy at the Stadio Olimpico.
The defeat in Rome marked the first time the Azzurri have ever triumphed over England, intensifying scrutiny of Borthwick’s position. Sweeney emphasised that the union remains steadfast in its support for the coaching staff and squad.
“Steve and his coaching team are working tirelessly to make improvements, and we remain fully committed to supporting them and the players as they face France this weekend and then look ahead to the Nations Championship,” he added.
The chief executive pledged transparency regarding the team’s shortcomings during this championship. “Part of that support is being open about what hasn’t gone right during this Six Nations and making sure everyone has a clear sense of how we move through those challenges together,” Sweeney explained.
He vowed that the RFU would collaborate with the coaching setup to identify and address the reasons behind England’s failure to meet pre-tournament expectations. England entered this Six Nations riding an impressive twelve-match winning streak, generating considerable optimism about their championship prospects.
That momentum evaporated with defeats to Scotland and Ireland before Saturday’s historic humiliation in the Italian capital. The loss to Italy had been billed as a must-win fixture following those earlier setbacks, yet Borthwick’s men fell short once more.
England now travel to Paris as significant underdogs against a French side chasing the title. Should they fail to secure victory at the Stade de France on Saturday, it would represent their poorest Six Nations showing ever, with just a single win from five matches.
Maro Itoje has insisted that responsibility for England’s crisis lies squarely with the players rather than the coaching staff. The forward’s comments suggest the squad accepts accountability for their dramatic downturn in fortunes.
With the Rugby World Cup now just eighteen months away, Borthwick faces mounting pressure to reverse England’s trajectory swiftly. Sweeney expressed confidence that the squad possesses the character to respond positively to adversity.
“England fans rightly expect a team that learns and grows through adversity, and we’re confident this group will do everything they can to deliver that,” he said. The head coach must now demonstrate rapid improvement to avoid the fate that befell his predecessor Eddie Jones before the previous tournament, as the clock ticks down to the World Cup.
