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Many people are using the same phrase about Steve Borthwick's England
By Ian Cameron
In the wake of England’s lacklustre 20-9 Summer Nations Series defeat to Wales, head coach Steve Borthwick has been left to grapple with a myriad of errors and a disappointing performance from his team.
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The match, which saw England squander a lead of 9-8 at the interval, has led to a wave of concern among fans and pundits alike, with many using the same term – ‘underwhelming’ – to describe the team’s showing.
Borthwick, clearly aware of the gravity of the situation, stated after the match that he would take a period of reflection ahead of announcing his World Cup squad tomorrow. The defeat to Wales has left the coach with some crucial decisions to make, as he aims to assemble the best possible team for the upcoming tournament.
“I will reflect where I am in terms of the squad selection and whether this game changes anything or clarifies anything regarding that,” Borthwick. “I will reflect where I am in terms of the squad selection and whether this game changes anything or clarifies anything regarding that.
“It is another piece of information in terms of the full picture, which is what I was always after on each and every one of the players to make the best-informed decision. This game informs many different elements and it is another step as we build forward through these four games.”
Despite it being ‘just a World Cup warm-up game’ it’s clear that the England faithful are losing patience with how this England team are performing. Borthwick has just two wins from six outings as head coach, and the nature of yesterday’s defeat to Wales has left fans and pundits highly concerned.
Former England head coach and outspoken Daily Mail columnist Clive Woodward went in hard in his column. “There can be no doubt that this was one of the poorest games I’ve ever seen England play,” wrote Woodward. “I thought England would win comfortably looking at the two sides but they were second best by a long way.”
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Woodward was particularly alarmed by England set-piece. “The biggest disappointment from an English perspective was the set-piece. For all the team’s recent struggles across the board, England’s scrum and line-out are normally very good. But in Cardiff, they were nowhere near the standard required to win international matches. In Test rugby, the set-piece is everything and England weren’t at the races.”
The term ‘underwhelming’ gained traction on social media, with fans and commentators expressing their disappointment at England’s latest flop.
Welsh journalist and broadcaster Ross Harris wrote: “As for England, a concerning reversal in the second half. Handling errors abounded, and set-piece crumbled. Borthwick remained impassive, but those lineout steals will have cut to his core. Plenty of time and rugby to come, but an underwhelming start.”
As for England, a concerning reversal in the second half. Handling errors abounded, and set-piece crumbled. Borthwick remained impassive, but those lineout steals will have cut to his core. Plenty of time and rugby to come, but an underwhelming start.
— Ross Harries (@rossharries1) August 6, 2023
The Harlequins podcast had similar thoughts, writing: “Feeling very underwhelmed by Borthwick… Talked a good game in his first press conference of reconnecting with fans and bringing excitement – none of that has come to fruition. Will we ever see a “Bazball” equivalent in English Rugby?”
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Feeling very underwhelmed by Borthwick…
Talked a good game in his first press conference of reconnecting with fans and bringing excitement – none of that has come to fruition.
Will we ever see a “Bazball” equivalent in English Rugby?
— Harlequins Podcast (@harlequinspod) August 5, 2023
Former England player, Kyran Bracken, was dismayed at the amount of box kicking from England, despite being a 51 cap scrumhalf. “I know it’s a warm up game but why do England Rugby box kick everything? It’s painful!”
So many negatives from that game – really do believe Borthwick is out of his depth at internatiomal head coach level !! No pace and very one dimensional !! Embarrassing at best shocking and underwhelming
— John (@Macbails) August 5, 2023
There were many, many more in that vein.
Steve Borthwick. Underwhelming for me and seems like a very safe play.
Would have gone outside the box and gone all out to try and get Robertson or O'Gara personally if money wasn't an issue.
— Potts (@mpotts81) December 5, 2022
After 20 minutes of #RWC2023 warmup #WALvENG, neither side is covering itself with glory. Both sides badly underperformed in the 6 Nations, and neither are showing that they’ve resolved the many problems both sides had. Underwhelming so far.
But great to have more rugby on TV!!!
— Dorje (@dorje_m) August 5, 2023
Even the Associated Press described the England performance as “horribly underwhelming”. England now have a chance to bounce back in Twickenham. With Borthwick naming his side tomorrow, if anything it adds more pressure on England to perform over the coming weekends. They must now bounce back in Twickenham next weekend.
Borthwick is clearly an honest and honourable man, who has been handed a poisoned chalice by the RFU, that said he basically has a free hit at this WC because his job is safe regardless of outcome.
The problem is that both Borthwick and his coaching team are all fairly pragmatic and conservative thinkers, that mindset is already evident in Englands chosen style of kick & clap rugby.
There were clearly no players yesterday who felt enabled to simply look up & play what was in front of them.
England will not progress under a risk averse plodding mindset.
Box kicking was effing pathetic and boring. Utterly dismal
We need real pace in our backs. Mallins, cokanasiga,porter don't have it, please at least use what speed we have, it scares defences.
The media were wrong to hound Eddie Jones out of a job. They will never apologise for that because they are ghouls, but they should at least have the courtesy not to repeat their mistake.
I think the Twickenham faithful booing their own team off the park had more influence on the RFU's decision to make Jones their scapegoat. The fact is this England team is pedestrian at best. They kick the leather off the ball from the back of every ruck and in test matches between similarly ranked sides, no pack is going to completely blow the other off the park and allow for a game completely dictated by a kicking 9. England currently doesn't have a single player capable of playing what's in front of them and for all his brilliance at club level, Marcus Smith is never going to get the kind of clean ball he gets week in week out at Harlequins while playing behind a mediocre England pack. England don't have a single player in their squad to rival a Dupont, Savea, Van der Flier, Kolbe. They're a second tier side at the moment and no amount of coaching can turn a weak front five into one that can compete. Every tier 1 and tier 2 side in the world has a wealth of talent in the back row and England is no exception. Quite why they persist with players like Dombrandt is beyond me.
Every quality rugby team since the dawn of the game has had a decent scrum half and this England squad doesn't have one. The backup fly halves to Farrell don't cut it leaving a slow, albeit brilliant tactician running the show which would be fine if they had any pace in the centers which, aside from Marchant who will undoubtedly be sent off to pre-season training at Stade Français, they don't. Long gone are the days when Manu Tiulagi put the fear of God into defences.
Borthwick's abject reliance on fringe players he knows from his Leicester day has skewed the selection process with people like Porter, Ford, Cole and Martin being given the benefit of the doubt despite having done little to nothing for England in their latest appearances.
You need look no further than the mediocre players themselves hailing from a bankrupt club system to understand why England are not able to string together two victories against average opposition. They're just not very good at the moment and it's hard to see, given the state of the game there, how they are ever going to get back to tier 1 status.
Far from a fan of the media but it's all on the RFU. Late getting rid of Eddie, no stand down period allowing him to go to the Wallabies and poor selection in Borthwick.
He was almost choice by default due to the timing and stating the coach would be English.