Steve Borthwick: England head coach confident of RFU backing despite ongoing losing streak

Steve Borthwick insists he has the backing of the Rugby Football Union’s management to help turn around England’s winless run of five matches.

England were edged out 29-20 by world champions South Africa at Allianz Stadium on Saturday, their third defeat in as many Autumn Nations Series internationals following narrow losses to both New Zealand and Australia.

For the first time since 2018, England have lost five Tests in a row including two defeats in New Zealand last summer and in 2024, they have now lost seven of their last 11 Tests.

But a bullish Borthwick brushed off suggestions that his position may be under pressure in the long term despite a downturn in results since their run to the World Cup semi-finals just over a year ago.

“The feeling I get from the RFU is one of absolute support and absolute belief that this team is going in the right direction and that’s from everyone within the RFU,” he said.

Those thoughts were echoed by his captain Jamie George who emphasised the players’ disappointment with recent results.

“If you look at the three Test matches individually, of course there are lots of areas where we can get better and we’re disappointed with the results,” he said.

“But today, I was really proud of the way the team fronted up physically and Test match rugby is a game of such fine margins and I think we created a lot of opportunities against a world-class team and back-to-back world champions for a reason.

“What we need to do is find the fixes to help close out those games and I’ve got every confidence and belief in the players and the staff that we will do everything we need to do to be a significantly better team come next week (against Japan) but also in the Six Nations.”

England to learn from ‘painful experiences’

As was the case in their defeats by the All Blacks and the Wallabies earlier in the autumn, England led at times throughout a pulsating contest with three-time world champions South Africa, only to ultimately finish the wrong side of the scoreline and miss chances to close out a win.

“We will work through this, we will ensure we’re a better team coming out of it,” Borthwick said.

“I think it’s important to recognise we’ve played Test matches against very good teams,” Borthwick said. “We have to recognise just how good a side South Africa are. They’re double world champions, they have consistency. The experience they have within their team means you have to be on the money every single second of a Test match.

“We saw in the last quarter in particular that we had plenty of entries into their 22, plenty of opportunities to score. We have seen just those small moments, small lapses within the magnitude of the game end up being hugely significant.

“That’s what we’re working through and that’s what we’re working with the players to develop to ensure where we can go with this team over the next couple of years.

“These are painful experiences we’re going through as a team right now but ultimately, this adversity will be good in the long term and we will be a better team for these experiences.

“It’s just very, very difficult right now.”

What’s next?

England’s Autumn Nations Series concludes next Sunday when they face Japan, coached by former boss Eddie Jones, at Allianz Stadium (kick-off 4.10pm).

Their Six Nations campaign will start away to Ireland on Saturday, February 1 before three successive home fixtures against France, Scotland and Italy.