Bronze medal papers over the cracks in Borthwick's setup - Andy Goode

Steve Borthwick has a great rugby brain but he needs to surround himself with the right people above and below if England are to flourish in the next four years.

The current coaching staff are very inexperienced, not just at international level, and I still think there’s a need for a director of rugby type figure between Borthwick on the coaching side and the RFU chief executive with a couple of interesting candidates now available.

Both Rassie Erasmus and Ian Foster will be looking for a new project to sink their teeth into and England have missed out on experienced coaches, such as Warren Gatland and Shaun Edwards, before so the RFU should strike while the iron is hot.

I’m not saying someone should be parachuted in above Borthwick without his permission so he would have to be the one to make the call, with the union just writing the cheque, and it’d take a strong individual to do it but it would make a massive difference.

Rassie Erasmus, Coach of South Africa, looks on during the warm up prior to the Rugby World Cup France 2023 match between England and South Africa at Stade de France on October 21, 2023 in Paris, France. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)

Money is another matter entirely but I’m sure the RFU could find the cash if they deem it worthwhile and the experience of men like Erasmus, Foster or even Wayne Smith is priceless.

Borthwick cannot do it all on his own and someone who has been there, done it and got the t-shirt for him to bounce ideas off and deal with off-field issues, such as partial central contracts which could be coming down the line, would be invaluable.

We know World Cup winning assistant coach Felix Jones is coming in but it looks like Kevin Sinfield will be heading through the exit door sooner than anticipated so that could be a like for like swap and England are crying out for a bright, innovative attacking mind on the staff.

Richard Wigglesworth was the attack and kicking coach at the World Cup and he’ll continue on but he and scrum coach Tom Harrison, the other members of Borthwick’s coaching team, are very green and would definitely benefit from the presence of an experienced figure.

England clearly overachieved in terms of their finishing position at the World Cup compared to pre-tournament expectations and Borthwick should be applauded for that but winning a bronze medal shouldn’t be allowed to paper over the cracks.

There’s no hiding the fact that the style of play left a lot to be desired and there’s no way the team can continue to play in that manner for the next four years and keep supporters on board and paying the prices being charged at Twickenham.

Borthwick will know that and be conscious of his need to evolve, he just needs to ensure he doesn’t make himself an island and surrounds himself with the right people to help him succeed and for me that starts above him rather than below.

Manu Tuilagi (Photo by David Ramos/ Getty Images)

The next 12 months is going to be fascinating because Borthwick is going to have to stop talking only about the next game and start building for the future but not go too far and fall into the old Eddie Jones way of just focusing on the World Cup.

Clearly, a lot of the team that played in the Bronze final at the weekend will be there in Rome for the opening game of the 2024 Six Nations but a few are highly unlikely to make it to the next World Cup in Australia in 2027.

Danny Care and Dan Cole are both 36 and they may not have officially announced their international retirement but it’d be a surprise to everyone if they were playing in the Eternal City in February.

A couple of centurions in Ben Youngs and Courtney Lawes are stepping aside and Joe Marler has already retired from international rugby before so he won’t be there but there are a few other key decisions for Borthwick to make.

Manu Tuilagi has been a huge figure in English rugby for over a decade and I think he has a part to play moving forward because of the quality he still possesses but he’s unlikely to be starting at centre for England in 2027 at the age of 36.

I think it’s time to throw all your eggs into Ollie Lawrence’s basket and find a centre partner that can develop a partnership with him over the next four years, whilst using Manu to add x-factor when he’s fit.

Centre has been a bit of a problem position for England since they won the World Cup in 2003 and there aren’t a host of names jumping out at you as the obvious partner for Lawrence but the likes of Dan Kelly, Fraser Dingwall, Tommy Freeman and Will Joseph will all be putting their hands up.

(Photo by Gaspafotos/MB Media/Getty Images)

Fly half is always the most important and high-profile position and Borthwick has a massive decision to make there. I suspect Owen Farrell will want to continue on and be England’s Johnny Sexton at the next World Cup but I’d be tempted to move away from him.

That might sound a bit harsh because I do think players should be picked on form and if he’s tearing it up in the Premiership and Champions Cup at the age of just 32, it’ll be hard not to pick someone with his undoubted class and experience but I do think he’s had too much influence in the past and I would definitely take the captaincy off him.

Marcus Smith is the most exciting attacking talent we have in this country and if he goes back to Quins and shines in the number 10 jersey, I think he should be picked in that position for England. It might have worked at times in this tournament but he isn’t an international full back in the long term.

There isn’t a big pool of candidates to be the next England captain either but I think Tom Curry is the most obvious option, or possibly Ben Earl. Both are shoo-ins in terms of selection, which is key, and lead by example.

I don’t see any reason why either wouldn’t do a great job and grow into the role, possibly with the help of a leadership mentor in the form of someone like Dylan Hartley or even a John Smit or someone from abroad who has captained with distinction.

Borthwick is a detail man and it’s those potential marginal gains that he should be looking at as England plan for the next World Cup and hopefully a bit further into the future as well as succession planning hasn’t exactly been a strongpoint in English rugby to date.

(Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

Elsewhere in the starting XV, Joe Marchant will be unavailable after his move to Stade Francais and, after his performances at the World Cup at the age of 22, it might be time to give Theo Dan a run in the number two jersey with Jamie George still involved.

The personnel will largely be decided by club form over the next few months, or it should be, but Borthwick has to expand his game plan and look to entertain, despite his risk averse nature.

The fans got behind England because it was a World Cup, it was a great experience just over The Channel and the team won some games but there is still a disconnect between the national team and the supporters and grassroots level.

It won’t take long before there are significant dissenting voices at Twickenham and the RFU do start to feel it in their pockets if the prices are sky high and England continue to play uninspiring rugby.

Saying changes are needed in management, coaching staff, players, captaincy and style might sound extreme or paint a bleak picture after a third place finish at a World Cup but that isn’t the case at all, Borthwick just needs to take the bull by the horns and be bold if England are to be true contenders in Australia in 2027 and at Six Nations in between.