Youngs: Wrong time to extend Borthwick’s deal

FORMER England scrum-half Ben Youngs says it is wrong for the RFU to extend Steve Borthwick‘s contract based on results of the last 12 months.

The RFU have backed Borthwick following a review into England’s worst-ever Six Nations by offering him a deal until after the 2028 Six Nations. England have won just three matches in 2026, with five Test losses – including a first-ever defeat to Italy – but CEO Bill Sweeney and performance director Conor O’Shea are confident Borthwick is the right man to lead England. Youngs feels it is the wrong time to offer him a new deal.

“If the World Cup goes well, then you review it and maybe you extend it, but like right now, to make that decision, I just don’t see that’s the right thing,” Youngs said on the For The Love Of Rugby podcast. “If they change him before the World Cup, then you’d argue Bill has to go and so does Conor because they have got it wrong. They have backed him and if it doesn’t work out, they’re all accountable for making that decision.”

But former England prop Dan Cole countered: “You can extend him or not, it doesn’t mean he’s secure post-World Cup. It’s only until the end of the season that the World Cup finishes in November time. So then you’ve got the Six Nations and then you’ve got summer.

And if it goes really badly, I’m sure they’ll make a change. You cover them for the World Cup year plus one, so they can focus on the World Cup, and they are not going into the World Cup having conversations [with other teams]. It makes sense.”