Top international coaches speak of building block performances, foundation stones within the construction of a winning side. Those days that serve as proof of concept and proof of potential; a reference point, a formative experience to look to in the many moments of doubt. The storms in professional sport come with relative regularity, the fierce winds that shake the structures and self-assurance one hopes to build. It is the ability to survive these squalls that create champions, we are told – the top teams swaying with the irregular gusts of the elite level.
For nearly a year, England have pointed to their win over Ireland as one such constitutional cornerstone. Few had given them a prayer as the visitors came chasing their grand slam dream; away the eventual tournament winners went beaten by the better team as the hosts at last produced a performance of which Twickenham could be proud.
It stands alone in the Steve Borthwick era as the sole win of real, true magnitude – the dispatching of Argentina amid adversity at the World Cup was indisputably impressive under the circumstances but ultimately came against a flawed opponent. Two years since his arrival marked the end of an error, it is fair to question just how much better England actually are under Borthwick. Certainly, the players find the environment far more enjoyable than that fostered by Eddie Jones, who will be gleefully watching on from the sidelines as a pundit for ITV, and overdue strides have been made to evolve their playing style, but more tangible progress is yet to be evidenced.
An autumn of incertitude left the ledger for 2024 in the red; five wins from 12 fixtures a particularly poor return in a year that included two encounters with Japan. 14 wins, in all, from 28 games under Borthwick is not flash, either; more coaching upheaval and accusations of an unstable working environment cause to question if Jones’s apprentice had learned too many methods from his past master.
So England embark again intent on finding their identity and proof of their progression. No direct targets have been draped on Borthwick’s neck but the heavy albatross of expectation always hangs for a nation of such riches and resources.
An inimical start could throw the campaign off course before it has even truly begun. France at home in round two will raise the ghouls of a ghastly Twickenham day in 2023 but first it is the defending champions in Dublin that must be negotiated. Ireland will not be intent on revenge, seeing the bigger picture, but there are clearly wrongs to be righted – if England aren’t at it, they will become collateral damage in Ireland’s chase for history.
The twice defending champions against a team that recorded a losing record last year? One might usually suggest a foregone conclusion. But the confidence in the visitors comes partly by dint of that Twickenham heyday, and also the unwavering belief that a squad of players this talented will surely – at some point – come good.
Is now that time? Borthwick is never one to rip things up unnecessarily and despite an autumn that brought three defeats, many combinations remain in place. From Ellis Genge and Will Stuart as a propping pair through to Henry Slade and Ollie Lawrence in midfield – starting together for the 11th consecutive Test – there are signs of the cohesion and continuity that the head coach has always sought.
There are intriguing tweaks, though. Maro Itoje is set to lead the squad into the 2027 World Cup but his elevation to the captaincy is also an admission that immediate results must improve; a long-term decision made with the short-term in mind. The picking of Ben Curry alongside twin Tom and the ever-important Ben Earl is evidence that Borthwick, a bolder selector than some suggest, recognises a need to do things differently.
Once utilised together at U18 level amid a desperate search for new opensides, this current confluence shows a clear plan to stymie and stall Ireland’s phase attack and strike quickly in transition – even if it leaves England vulnerable elsewhere.
“Clearly there’s always a blend and always a trade-off of what you decide to do and why you decide to do it,” Borthwick explained. “It is my job to weigh up all those considerations and I am sure Paul O’Connell and the Irish lineout will look at this and try to attack us in that area. We will have to be very good.
“The back row [I have selected] can run. All three players have got incredible engines, incredible mobility, they are fantastic players defensively, their tackling and their jackal, they carry the ball well.”
There might be a few crossed fingers at Allianz Stadium as the Twickenham tumult continues. The future of Bill Sweeney, Borthwick’s line manager among a great many other duties, remains firmly in doubt ahead of a 27 March special general meeting.
A cynic might suggest that the date had been chosen with precise purpose in the (perhaps misplaced) hope of a Six Nations that leaves a far more optimistic outlook for English rugby. Borthwick batted away suggestions that the turmoil above him would have any impact during this tournament. “It’s not something that we’ve discussed in camp,” said Borthwick. “I know Bill has regular contact with senior players and has a very good relationship with the senior players.
“We’re on the eve of the Six Nations; we are playing against one of the world’s best teams in Dublin, and in this incredible tournament. That’s what is on the players’ minds. Nothing about any other matter than that.”
There is a Percy Bysshe Shelley poem that speaks of a dying king and a fainting people clung to by leech-like leaders flowing through public scorn. For England in 1819, perhaps read English rugby now – in need of a uniting force to blow belief back into a flailing game. Shelley’s last couplet speaks of a phantom that may “burst to illumine our tempestuous day”. The storm clouds gather but a stirring English Six Nations success might just help clear the gloom.
