Springboks lie in wait for bumbling Poms

Steve Borthwick is facing mounting pressure as head coach of England following their worst campaign in the modern era of the Six Nations Championship.

England ended the tournament with a dramatic 48-46 defeat to France in Paris, a thrilling contest that capped a disappointing campaign in which they managed just one win from five matches and finished fifth in the standings.

Unwanted milestones

The narrow loss came despite England scoring seven tries and producing arguably their best performance of the competition, but it still marked their fourth consecutive defeat.

England’s campaign was filled with unwanted milestones.

The side suffered a historic first-ever Six Nations defeat to Italy and also endured heavy losses against Ireland and Scotland , intensifying scrutiny on Borthwick’s leadership.

RFU Review Looms

The poor results have prompted the Rugby Football Union (RFU) to conduct a post-tournament review into England’s performances and the direction of the team.

While some critics have questioned whether Borthwick is the right man to lead England towards the 2027 Rugby World Cup, several players have publicly backed their coach.

England hooker Jamie George described Borthwick as “one of the best coaches” he has worked under and insisted he remains the right person to guide the national side forward.

Despite the support within the squad, analysts and former players have raised concerns about England’s discipline, tactical consistency and attacking structure during the championship.

Borthwick: “We Are Hurting”

After the defeat in Paris, Borthwick admitted the tournament had been painful for the team.

“It’s been a painful tournament and we’re all hurting,” he said, acknowledging the disappointment felt by players and supporters alike.

The England coach insisted the squad must learn from the setbacks and grow stronger.

Tough Tests Ahead

England’s next major challenge comes during the new Nations Championship, when they face the world champion Springboks in their opening match on Saturday, 4 July at Ellis Park in Johannesburg.

That’s just 110 days away.

With the review underway and expectations high ahead of the 2027 Rugby World Cup, the coming months could prove crucial in determining whether Borthwick retains the backing of England rugby’s leadership.

Should England give Steve Borthwick the boot?

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