Steve Borthwick is to be confirmed as England’s new head coach on Monday, taking on from the Australian Eddie Jones.
Borthwick has been recruited from Leicester the place he has acted as director of rugby since 2020, steering the membership to final season’s Gallagher Premiership title victory.
The deal that takes the 43-year-old Cumbrian to Twickenham was finalized on Sunday morning and he can be formally introduced as Jones’s successor 24 hours later, it’s understood.
Jones was sacked virtually two weeks in the past after presiding over England’s worst yr of outcomes since 2008, managing solely 5 wins from 12 video games.
Warren Gatland, Ronan O’Gara and Scott Robertson have been among the many names touted to exchange him, however Borthwick has been the Rugby Soccer Union’s overwhelming choice to take over.
Earlier than remodeling Leicester from a fallen big of English membership rugby into Premiership champions, the previous Saracens captain spent eight years as a world assistant coach – all underneath Jones.
Upon hanging up his boots, he launched his teaching profession with Japan in 2012 after which joined his tracksuit mentor when he was appointed England boss within the aftermath of the disastrous 2015 World Cup.
Borthwick’s function was overseeing the forwards, with the line-out his most important space of ​​experience, however he additionally carried out the important thing function of teaching coordinator and was seen because the glue behind the scenes.
Since his departure, England have struggled for consistency because the churn of backroom workers accelerated within the face of Jones’ demanding managerial model.
When Borthwick took over, Leicester have been reeling from their 11th-place end within the 2019-20 season and have been solely spared relegation by Saracens’ wage cap scandal, which resulted within the London membership dropping out of the Premiership as a substitute.
The ship was steadied by ending sixth a marketing campaign later and regardless of working underneath the wage cap restrict, he went on to mastermind Leicester’s first league title since 2013.
Now accountable for England, he should elevate one other crew out of the doldrums – though this time he has the World Cup looming on the horizon.
Solely 5 aggressive fixtures within the type of the Six Nations await earlier than the worldwide showpiece in France subsequent autumn, with 4 warm-up matches offering extra preparation time.
England’s type has seen them drop out of the group of most important contenders to elevate the Webb Ellis Cup, which options France, South Africa, Eire and New Zealand.
A clearer image over the make-up of Borthwick’s administration crew is anticipated to emerge on Monday when he seems at a press convention at Twickenham
Whereas logistics for the World Cup are a urgent concern dealing with the brand new head coach, he should additionally type out plenty of different downside areas together with an absence of id, a toothless assault and lack of tactical route.
However given his success in overhauling Leicester, he can be assured he can form England right into a power in time for France 2023.
