England Rugby Doubles Down on Kicking Game Amidst Criticism
England's rugby union team has confirmed they will persist with their much-criticised kicking strategy for Saturday's crucial Six Nations clash against France in Paris. This decision comes despite a troubling three-Test losing streak that was extended by a historic defeat to Italy last weekend. The Rugby Football Union has publicly reaffirmed its support for head coach Steve Borthwick, even as pressure mounts following the team's disappointing Championship performance.
Statistical Dominance in Kicking Fails to Translate to Wins
Analysis of the 2026 Six Nations tournament reveals England have kicked the ball more frequently and for greater distance than any other competing nation. This tactical approach was fundamental to their impressive 12-Test winning run, which concluded with a round two loss to Scotland. However, the same gameplan has proven ineffective in the current Championship, with England's attack misfiring consistently. The conservative style has drawn significant scrutiny from pundits and fans alike.
World Cup champion Matt Dawson articulated this frustration in his BBC Sport column, stating emphatically that England stand "never in a million years going to Paris and beating France by deploying the same kick-heavy strategy." He warned that persisting with this approach would represent a "red flag against England's coaching ticket."
Player and Management Defend the Established Plan
Scrum-half Ben Spencer, reinstated for the 23-18 loss in Rome, has robustly defended the team's methodology. "I don't think the gameplan needs to change at the moment," Spencer asserted. "We all believe in the plan. Last year we had great results playing not too dissimilar to the way we do now. We haven't gone too far away from what we did when we had 12 wins on the spin."
Spencer argued that excessive kicking is not the root cause of England's problems, pointing out that both Ireland and Scotland kicked more than England in the two defeats preceding the Italy match. He highlighted successful aerial contests against Italy, praising the wingers' performance, and insisted the game was winnable for sixty-five minutes before other aspects faltered. "It wasn't our kicking game that cost us," he concluded, while acknowledging "our attack needs to improve and it's probably not just our attack that needs to improve either. It's loads of aspects of our game."
RFU Backing and External Support for Borthwick
RFU chief executive Bill Sweeney has publicly backed Steve Borthwick to continue as head coach, though a statement released on Sunday subtly indicated that the upcoming Nations Championship represents a critical timeline for reviving England's fortunes. Support has also come from an unexpected quarter: former England coach Eddie Jones. "Is there a better coach available than Steve Borthwick? No, there isn't," Jones declared to Planet Rugby. He praised Borthwick as a "quite brilliant tactical coach" who is learning the emotional demands of Test rugby on the job.
In team news, flanker Tom Curry has been ruled out of the France match due to a calf injury sustained during the warm-up at the Stadio Olimpico. England now face the formidable task of halting their slide against the tournament favourites in Paris, all while sticking to a gameplan that has recently attracted more criticism than success.
