Borthwick has tough decisions to make
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FOURTH in the Six Nations, third in the World Cup. Redemption rather than progress for England given the pool they were in and their highly structured gameplan, but given the relatively little time Steve Borthwick had to prepare the team after the sacking of Eddie Jones, to get within two minutes of the final was as much as could have realistically been expected.
England were at their best against South Africa in the semi-final because the match was fought on their terms in the rain. Fired by a pumped-up Owen Farrell, they kicked high and long, chased hard, hit everything in green that moved and never deviated from the script. It was how they had fronted up against Ireland in March before Freddie Steward's unwarranted red card motivated the underdogs.
They came up just short having reduced South Africa to shambling wrecks until the scrum became a factor after the props had been changed. It was the first time England had met a team that was in the top five of the world rankings at the start of the tournament and they produced a one-off performance that has been the hallmark of cup competitions through the ages.
Reaching the last four did not mean England had climbed into the top four. Friday night's play-off match against Argentina again showed how their failure to secure quick ball at the breakdown inhibits their attacking game. It was an issue long before Borthwick took over and lacking the raw power of a South Africa, they take refuge in the boot. So do New Zealand, but they have attack in mind.
Having had to prepare for the short-term, Borthwick can now plan for the future. The team which starts the Six Nations against Italy in Rome next February will be different from the one that took the field against South Africa with Courtney Lawes having announced his retirement from international rugby, Jonny May wondering out loud whether his time is up and Joe Marler, Dan Cole and Manu Tuilagi unlikely to make it to the next World Cup.
The first question is who should captain the side. Owen Farrell will be 36 when the next World Cup starts, two years younger than Johnny Sexton this tournament. The Saracen remains as competitive as ever, epitomises the warrior spirit England have shown in France and will surely be around when the circus opens its tent in Australia in 2027.
But if 2024 is to make a new beginning for England, the playlist needs to change. There are few obvious captaincy contenders: Tom Curry has led England before and ever since he made his debut, Maro Itoje has been hailed as a future skipper, but otherwise the option for Borthwick is to do a Warren Gatland and opt for someone yet to become an established Test player as the Wales head coach did with Sam Warburton in 2011 and, this year, Jac Morgan.
Borthwick has based his team and tactics around Farrell who, as he did under Jones, holds considerable influence within the set-up. The outside-half was in his element against South Africa, although as captain he should not be making the referee march his side back 10 metres and put a penalty within kicking range, one that ultimately proved the difference on the night, but England need more than inyour-face aggression and indomitable spirit.
They started with intent against Argentina in the battle for third place but a pattern of this year has been to take an early lead and then fritter it away. Henry Arundell was making only his second appearance of the tournament having scored five tries against Chile in the other, but here he only made five metres having only received one pass before being taken off after 65 minutes.
England by then had three playmakers on the field with George Ford joining Farrell and Marcus Smith but they needed the heft Ollie Lawrence provided from the bench with Tuilagi off the field and Arundell was sacrificed. With possession so slow, the number of playmakers was immaterial.
Borthwick's reputation suggests evolution rather than revolution, gradual change rather than an overhaul. The semi-final showed that the foundation was there, even if part of it was laid by Jones under whom England would probably have ended up in the same position, the best of the rest outside the starting top five, but it is now about adding on layers.
A problem for Borthwick is that there is no level between the Premiership and the international arena to assess players. Having to trust his instinct and what he sees in his training sessions, he will not quickly jettison those who have proved themselves, but there has to be a change of gear.
England did not lack intent against Argentina, but the failure to secure quick possession forced them to get rid of the ball. The Pumas in contrast, used to the high tempo of the Rugby Championship, were far more adept at getting the ball away quickly, as they showed in their first try on Friday. That is an area England will need to address if they are to compete on equal terms with Ireland and France who, for all their disappointment at not going further than the quarter-finals, will again lead the charge in the Six Nations, blessed with an all-court game that allows them to overcome the loss of players with minimal disruption.
Four years ago, England looked set to rule Europe after reaching the World Cup final having done so with the youngest squad of the championship unions, but it all unravelled after Saracens were relegated and the pandemic struck. Instead of becoming exceptional, they descended into mediocrity.
The World Cup has shown there can be no questioning their spirit. Ben Earl has come of age, George Martin looks as if he can fill the hole left by the outstanding Lawes, Theo Dan has added dynamism and Marcus Smith, although not looking a full-back, has the much needed ability to fix defenders and make them think.
The hallmark of a leading coach is knowing when to call time on the career of an icon. It was something Sir Alex Ferguson excelled at, one of the reasons why he was able to sustain success at Old Trafford. It is a quality Borthwick will need.
