Steve Borthwick must mastermind a new era for England Rugby

Before the final whistle had been blown in the Stade de France as England secured a commendable third-place finish in a World Cup campaign that defied expectations, head coach Steve Borthwick was making detailed notes in his journal, undoubtedly with one eye on the new era for England Rugby, that starts with the 2024 Six Nations.

England’s only defeat of the campaign, their semi-final heartbreak to eventual champions South Africa was in fact the standout performance of the Steve Borthwick era. For 65 minutes, England produced a tactical masterclass, executing a perfect game plan devised by Borthwick of accurate kicking rugby and immensely physical defence in atrocious weather conditions.

Despite the eventual result, the performance undeniably showcased England’s potential to narrow the substantial gap between them and the ‘big four’ sides in World Rugby.

After only winning three of his first nine games in charge, cumulating in a first-ever defeat to Fiji at Twickenham, Borthwick emerged from the World Cup with credibility as the man to guide England into a new era.

However, with a mere ten weeks remaining until the 2024 Six Nations commences, Steve Borthwick hardly has time to revel in proving his critics who doubted England’s ability to advance beyond their pool stage.

The retirements of seasoned veterans like Jonny May, Courtney Lawes, Joe Marler, and Ben Youngs have left a significant void. Further gaps are left by the departure of Joe Marchant, Jack Willis, and David Ribbans to France, and rumours continue to swirl about Lewis Ludlam and Kyle Sinckler who are linked to Toulon.

Tom Curry has been sidelined for the entire campaign by a hip operation, and further setbacks are certain to affect England before the tournament begins, creating substantial gaps throughout the team. Props Bevan Rodd and Will Stuart may assume more significant roles, yet their ability to match up against elite scrummagers such as Andrew Porter and Tadhg Furlong remains uncertain. England’s vulnerability in the scrums, as evidenced by three pivotal late scrum penalties conceded against South Africa, could be further exacerbated by the likely departure of Dan Cole.

The backline presents more questions than answers. Will Alex Mitchell be entrusted as England’s primary scrum half and allowed to unleash his dynamic style that produces for Northampton Saints, or will he be constrained by Borthwick’s conservative tactics into endless box kicks?

Can Borthwick unleash the full potential of Marcus Smith in an England shirt? Smith excelled at full-back, but his natural position is fly-half and the 24-year-old could be the answer to England developing an attacking game that challenges the best defences. Captain Owen Farrell will be 36 by the next World Cup and Borthwick needs to effectively manage this transition and take brave decisions.

24-year-old Ollie Lawrence is now surely the best candidate for the vital inside-centre ball-carrying role given Manu Tuillagi’s age and injury problems. Henry Arundell will be available to play due to the special circumstances of his move to Racing92 following London Irish’s collapse, and Borthwick must put the unique talent at the heart of his plans going forward. The 21-year-old has shown glimpses of exceptional potential but has been shackled by England’s conservatism.

There is change on the coaching front, with the departure of defence coach Kevin Sinfield and the arrival of Felix Jones, an instrumental figure in South Africa’s consecutive World Cup victories, and he brings hope for rekindling England’s stagnant attack. His meticulous approach, lauded by former players as a genius, promises to ignite England’s struggling attack.

An impending shift in player contracts is on the cards for next season, with the RFU contemplating ‘hybrid contracts’ for 25 players, providing increased control over conditioning, skill development, and workload management. This proposed evolution from the current EPS system aligns England more closely with nations like Ireland and New Zealand, known for central contracts and stringent control over their international players.

Steve Borthwick faces the task of selecting the core squad for these contracts and laying the groundwork towards the 2027 World Cup. The upcoming Six Nations will serve be crucial in shaping this decision-making process.

Beyond merely assembling a new squad and harnessing young talent, Borthwick’s must fundamentally alter England’s style of play. Liberating the players from the shackles of conservatism and fear of failure, prevalent since 2003, is paramount. Allowing them to express themselves on the field and adapt to what’s in front of them is key to England’s resurgence.

England Six Nations campaign starts in Rome and gets progressively more challenging round by round, and new combinations will need to click quickly if England is to break a run of three consecutive losing campaigns.

With a daunting tour to New Zealand and autumn internationals against the Southern Hemisphere’s ‘big three’ scheduled, 2024 poses as a pivotal year for England. Borthwick won the hearts of England fans in France; now, he must mastermind a new era for English rugby.