RFU backs Steve Borthwick to lead England into 2027 World Cup after review

STEVE BORTHWICK HAS been backed by the Rugby Football Union to lead England into next year’s World Cup following an investigation into the recent Six Nations failure.

England finished the Championship in fifth place after managing a solitary victory against Wales in the opener, triggering an RFU review into the reasons for their subsequent collapse.

A statement released after the historic 23-18 defeat by Italy on March 7 indicated that Borthwick would be given the summer tour to save his job, but he will now remain head coach until Australia 2027 after the issues behind the four-Test losing run were identified.

“This has been a thorough and honest review and it’s clear that improvement will come from addressing several areas rather than chasing one simple answer,” RFU chief executive Bill Sweeney said.

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“Steve has engaged in this process with full openness and has clear plans in place to address these findings.

“We are all behind him and his coaching team going into the Nations Championship and the series of matches leading into the 2027 World Cup.”