Steve Borthwick is facing growing scrutiny after becoming the first England head coach to lose to Italy, with a 23-18 defeat in Rome. The result, which saw England slip to sixth in the world rankings, means the team could suffer four championship defeats in the same season for the first time in 50 years if they lose to France next week.
Former British & Irish Lions winger Ugo Monye, a Guardian columnist, called for urgent discussions about Borthwick’s future. “The conversation about Borthwick’s future has to start now,” Monye told ITV Sport. He criticised the coach’s selection changes and said England are “on the slide” while other teams improve.
Borthwick defended his position, insisting he remains the right man to lead England to next year’s World Cup. “Absolutely,” he said, pointing to the team’s growth over the past year and citing the example of England’s 2018 Six Nations struggles ahead of their 2019 World Cup run. He acknowledged discipline issues, with seven yellow cards and a red card in four games, but remained confident in the long-term vision.
Captain Maro Itoje took responsibility for the defeat, saying “We have to wear the performance” and admitting the team is in a tough period. Italy captain Michele Lamaro praised his side’s resilience, saying “We stuck together when they got momentum and we were a wall.”
England’s next match is against France in Paris, where another loss would deepen the crisis and intensify questions about Borthwick’s tenure. The Rugby Football Union has yet to comment publicly on his position.
