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Steve Borthwick denies pressure is affecting him after Rassie Erasmus jibe
Steve Borthwick denied the pressure of England’s losing run is affecting him after Springboks boss Rassie Erasmus suggested that he may feel like a gun is against his head.
After England suffered their fourth successive defeat against Australia last week, their head coach has reacted by making four changes to his starting XV to face South Africa at Twickenham on Saturday. As revealed by Telegraph Sport, scrum-half Jack van Poortvliet and full-back Freddie Steward have been recalled while Ollie Sleightholme and Sam Underhill also come in on the wing and as flanker respectively.
In contrast to England, South Africa have made a habit of winning tight games under Erasmus with all of their knockout victories in the World Cup coming by a single point. Yet Erasmus says that he sympathises with Borthwick’s current situation and hopes that he has the right support around him.
“We have been on that side,” Erasmus said. “Two or three years ago we lost three on the trot when Jacques [Nienaber] was the coach and the next one was New Zealand. It was almost four on the trot. It depends on the men in the room, the management, depends on your CEO, they can make you feel like you have got a gun against your head.”
Following the 42-37 defeat by Australia, RFU sources indicated that Borthwick retained the “100 per cent” support of the union, even if they suffer defeat by South Africa that would reduce his overall winning percentage to below 50.
However, Borthwick is adamant that his ability to “compartmentalise” means that he is not feeling the heat as England prepare to face the Springboks, who defeated them 16-15 in the World Cup semi-final last year.
“There are always things on the outside,” Borthwick said. “There always is. I stood up in front of the team at the start of this week, and said there are a couple of little things. The ball goes six inches the other way [against New Zealand] and you catch a ball at the end of the game [against Australia] and we have seen it with two different results, and everyone is talking this team up as [having] a very, very good autumn. But we haven’t. The ball’s not gone our way, the language outside is a different language. So the reality always is get better today, and that’s always my intention as a coach, and my intention with the team.
“It is one of my strengths that I just focus and compartmentalise pretty well. My job is to coach this team, I love coaching this team, I am loyal to this group of players, and we’ve got to do things better than what we have. We are frustrated we haven’t got wins, we intend to get wins, and it’s a brilliant challenge for us this weekend.”
Borthwick hopes that Immanuel Feyi-Waboso and Tom Curry, who drop out of the squad after suffering concussions against Australia, will be back in the squad to face Japan next week subject to passing their return-to-play protocols. Feyi-Waboso is replaced by Sleightholme, who scored two tries coming off the bench against Australia, while Underhill comes in for Curry.
Underhill had started every game for England this year until the start of the Autumn Nations Series. Borthwick felt that he was not ready for action following ankle surgery, but believes he has a point to prove against the double world champions.
“He expressed how disappointed and frustrated he was not to get the opportunity and he’s channelled that into his training now,” Borthwick said. “Right now I see a guy who’s really fit, very, very sharp and eager to go, we know how physical he plays the game and we’re playing against the team that play the game in a very physical manner.”
England revert to basic Borthball in attempt to trip up Springboks
It seems the blueprint that almost inflicted a shock defeat on South Africa in the World Cup semi-final last year has been dusted down by England head coach Steve Borthwick.
If this year’s narrative has been about adding layers to England’s attacking game, fast-tracking a new blitz defence and improving cohesion through consistency in selection, then it appears everything will be put on hold on Saturday.
Instead, England are preparing to attempt to salvage their autumn campaign after narrow defeats by New Zealand and Australia with a back-to-basics approach against world champions South Africa.
The return of Freddie Steward at full-back at the expense of George Furbank, who drops completely out of the 23, is laced with pragmatism. Not only are England expecting a kicking barrage from the Springboks, but Steward’s elevation reflects England’s desire to fight fire with fire.
The 23-year-old Leicester player is England’s champion of the skies and he will be tasked with winning the aerial battle on the front foot as Borthwick seeks to adapt to the unintended consequences of the crackdown on players ‘escorting’ – retreating players blocking those chasing to challenge high kick.
The new directive is not just encouraging more kicks and leading to more scrums as a consequence but has also led to a variation in the style of contestable kicking, most notably from the kick-offs and restarts, reflected by the havoc Joseph Sua’ali’i inflicted on England last Saturday.
England were able to rely on the aerial prowess of Jonny May and Elliot Daly along with Steward in the 16-15 defeat in Paris as England’s kicking strategy ambushed the Springboks. Steward, whom Borthwick described as having a “super strength” in the air, will be more of a lone ranger on Saturday and expect to see him compete at short restarts too.
Ben Spencer appears to have paid the price
Ollie Sleightholme, the replacement for the injured Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, could be the main beneficiary of England’s counter-attacks, given his finisher’s instincts while Tom Roebuck’s inclusion on the bench for what will be his first England game at Twickenham, after making his debut against Japan in the summer, underscores Borthwick’s tactical switch. The Sale Shark wing is another player who is formidable in challenging in the air.
Ben Spencer appears to have paid the price for England’s inability to stick to the script after a highly impressive opening quarter when they established a 15-3 lead against the Wallabies and Jack van Poortvliet will bring a greater tempo and counter-attacking threat if England are able to win the ball in broken-field play, but he also possesses a kicking game.
Yes, this is not the moment to indulge in forward planning, but strip England’s game back to the bare bones for the job in hand. But the kicking strategy relies on set-piece dominance, for which there is no greater challenge than South Africa.
Sam Underhill will bring gnarled physicality to the back row in place of Tom Curry, who is ruled out with concussion, but England’s forwards face a moment of reckoning. It was one final scrum that let them down in Paris. To stand any chance against a Springboks side that has added attacking layers to their game since their World Cup triumph, it is going to take 80 minutes of stiff resistance by Jamie George’s men.
“That is certainly going to be a core part of the contest against South Africa because of how many times they kick that way,” said Borthwick, when asked about the importance of his semi-final blueprint.
“I see the game only going that way now – more kicks, more contestable kicks with his law implication. And I think, fundamentally, playing against South Africa, you have to scrum well, you have to deal with that maul really well and you have to defend in a physical manner.
“Fundamentally, their scrum is still extremely strong and a lot of tries originate from their maul and lots of the mauls originate from winning penalties at scrums and they have a highly contestable kicking game. So there’s still this real core that’s very, very similar to where it was then and they’ve added this [version] of the ball movement and still have a very fast line speed as well.
“So we have to deal with those things and I think the team’s prepared really well in that sense for the weekend. And I think this group of players is really determined to go out and, and take our game on against South Africa.”
Time to go back to the future.
02:45 PM GMT
More reaction to come
I’ve just been informed that we will not be hearing from Borthwick live. Our team of rugby reporters will be on hand later with the thoughts of the England head coach ahead of a pivotal match.
For now, I’ve leave you with my prediction for Saturday. Many people in the comments are very pessimistic and I don’t blame them. I expect England to lose. But I think it will be closer than expected...
...I’m going to say England 12 South Africa 21!
02:36 PM GMT
Telegraph readers with their thoughts
John Smith
Borthwick is doubling down on a set piece, kicking orientated power game that we don’t actually possess
Ian Llewelyn
So very disappointed. JVP has done nothing special to deserve this promotion. Steward could be horribly exposed by the Boks speedy back three. Spencer & Furbank unceremoniously dumped, yet the defensive faults were mostly in the centres and back row. Bench is so very average - Cole, Isiekwe, Dombrandt vs the Bomb Squad - really?
John Wilson
I’m not surprised in the slightest and feared he’d do this. It’s the wrong call imo to drop Furbank. SA are bright enough not to kick overly to Steward. Bench is as weak as a wet paper bag.
Simon Clayton
Oh dear me....I was so optimistic about this Autumn and now it has deserted me, replaced by an overwhelming sense of depression...
02:20 PM GMT
Erasmus: Past results will count for nothing when the two sides meet
If you have the right players and the right management, it can galvanise the team, especially if you have two close games like that.
Our reality is we are playing England, who we seldom beat here. We are expecting a team that will be really tight and will play for their coaching staff. They believe fully they can beat us.
England come off two narrow defeats, but the quality of their performances was good in both matches, so we know the size of the challenge.
We lost narrowly to Ireland and France in back-to-back matches in 2022 and a year later were world champions so we know we shouldn’t read anything into the last two results.
02:12 PM GMT
English rugby does not respect the scrum – and that urgently needs to change
How often do we hear it said by the French, South Africans and even these days the New Zealanders, that the scrum is a religion, a way of life? It is seen as primal, tribal, a battle pitching two warring factions.
Then, how often do we hear the scrum spoken of in those terms in England? Anecdotally, you would say hardly ever. And therein lies the problem.
The props who take the field for England against South Africa on Saturday will be hamstrung before they even lace up their long-studded boots – through no fault of their own. They are products of a rugby culture which has spent years denigrating the scrum.
Click here to read the rest of Charles’ thoughts.
02:00 PM GMT
Borthwick address media
The England head coach is expected to speak very soon. A lot to discuss. Stand by for updates!
01:57 PM GMT
Latest episode of the Telegraph Rugby Podcast is out now
Have a listen to this week’s episode and our previous editions!
01:40 PM GMT
England fan reaction to team
Sam Chesney
Better team, should of been the team last week
Harry Lyons
That bench is poor, we’ve learnt nothing from the past 2 weeks. Should have gone 6-2. Spencer and Daly the back options, with Ted Hill and Ben Curry on there too
Chris Rose
Borthwick dropping Ben Spencer is very poor form
01:30 PM GMT
BREAKING: England team to face South Africa
15. Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers, 34 caps)
14. Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints, 13 caps)
13. Ollie Lawrence (Bath Rugby, 29 caps)
12. Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs, 67 caps)
11. Ollie Sleightholme (Northampton Saints, 3 caps)
10. Marcus Smith (Harlequins, 37 caps)
9. Jack van Poortvliet (Leicester Tigers, 14 caps)
1. Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears, 64 caps) – vice-captain
2. Jamie George (Saracens, 95 caps) – captain
3. Will Stuart (Bath Rugby, 43 caps)
4. Maro Itoje (Saracens, 86 caps) – vice-captain
5. George Martin (Leicester Tigers, 17 caps)
6. Chandler Cunningham-South (Harlequins, 9 caps)
7. Sam Underhill (Bath Rugby, 38 caps)
8. Ben Earl (Saracens, 35 caps) – vice-captain
Replacements: 16. Luke Cowan-Dickie (Sale Sharks, 42 caps) 17. Fin Baxter (Harlequins, 4 caps) 18. Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers, 117 caps) 19. Nick Isiekwe (Saracens, 13 caps) 20. Alex Dombrandt (Harlequins, 19 caps) 21. Harry Randall (Bristol Bears, 9 caps) 22. George Ford (Sale Sharks, 98 caps) – vice captain 23. Tom Roebuck (Sale Sharks, 1 cap)
01:27 PM GMT
How the Tom Curry-Bongi Mbonambi racism row played out behind the scenes
The concussion that Tom Curry suffered against Australia has ruled him out of the rematch against Bongi Mbonambi and the Springboks but there will be no shortage of bad blood between the two teams after a controversial moment in the 2023 World Cup semi-final.
Click here to read Daniel Schofield’s blow-by-blow account of the unresolved falling-out in Paris that continues to stoke the rivalry between England and South Africa.
01:18 PM GMT
Libbok back at flyhalf as Boks ring changes
South Africa have made 12 changes to their starting side to face England, reverting to a five-three split on the bench as Manie Libbok takes the reins at fly-half.
Ox Nche, Bongi Mbonambi and Eben Etzebeth are the only three players to have retained their places from the team that eventually overwhelmed Scotland to win 32-15 last weekend.
The captaincy passes from Etzebeth to Siya Kolisi, who teams up with Pieter-Steph du Toit and Jasper Wiese in the back row.
Grant Williams, a replacement at Murryfield, partners Libbok at half-back with Cobus Reinach, Handre Pollard and Lukhanyo Am the three backs among the replacements.
Click here for South Africa’s team.
01:04 PM GMT
Borthwick considers starts for Steward and Van Poortvliet
By Daniel Schofield and Charles Richardson
Steve Borthwick is strongly considering handing recalls to scrum-half Jack van Poortvliet and full-back Freddie Steward for the clash against South Africa on Saturday.
The England head coach is already facing two enforced changes after winger Immanuel Feyi-Waboso and flanker Tom Curry were ruled out after both suffered a concussion in the 42-37 defeat by Australia.
That extended England’s losing run to four matches and Telegraph Sport understands that Borthwick is weighing up making further changes to his back line, particularly at scrum-half.
Click here to read more.
12:52 PM GMT
England to name starting XV
Hello and welcome to coverage of England’s team selection for their showdown with South Africa at Allianz Stadium on Saturday.
England are in terrible form and playing to avoid a fifth successive defeat that threatens to continue an autumn of discontent when they welcome the world champions to HQ.
It took a long-range penalty from Handre Pollard to sink Steve Borthwick’s men at the death when the two teams last met in a ferocious 2023 World Cup semi-final in October in that has turned this weekend’s meeting into a grudge match.
England’s ability with the ball in hand was evident in the five tries they scored in the 42-37 defeat by Australia last Saturday - a loss which has placed them in must-win territory heading into the penultimate fixture of the autumn.
Crucially, however, they also leaked five tries and their second highest number of points ever conceded at Twickenham, in the process missing a staggering 36 tackles.
Joe El-Abd has taken charge of the defence following the shock resignation of Felix Jones in August and the aggressive blitz system introduced by the Irishman is now under the microscope. Jones resigned as defence coach in August but Borthwick stated last month that he is being used to provide analysis of the opposition throughout the autumn amid uncertainty over the date he will officially leave the role.
Narrow losses to New Zealand and Australia this autumn mean the stake are high at Twickenham this weekend.
“When you look at things outcome-based, on the surface nought from two isn’t good with the double World Cup winners coming up. It is not an ideal situation to be in,” Henry Slade said.
“But we feel like we have made some good strides as a group over these last four weeks and are looking forward to a big challenge on Saturday.”
