{"id":294138,"date":"2023-10-23T18:09:16","date_gmt":"2023-10-23T18:09:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportslifetale.com\/?p=294138"},"modified":"2023-10-23T18:09:16","modified_gmt":"2023-10-23T18:09:16","slug":"england-coach-steve-borthwick-is-ballsy-but-also-uninspiring-after-world-cup-woe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportslifetale.com\/rugby-league\/england-coach-steve-borthwick-is-ballsy-but-also-uninspiring-after-world-cup-woe\/","title":{"rendered":"England coach Steve Borthwick is ballsy but also uninspiring after World Cup woe"},"content":{"rendered":"

Steve Borthwick upbeat about England's future after agonising World Cup defeat<\/h3>\n

Steve Borthwick has been compared to a World War Two code cracker and a Vulcan starship officer by Jonny May as he was backed to solve the puzzle of how to make England great again. The detail-obsessed England head coach was booed at some World Cup matches by fans unconvinced he had the big-picture vision for the job after a sketchy start to his tenure.<\/p>\n

But after England ran world champions South Africa so close in their semi-final, Borthwick has begun to win over the popular vote. And while he does not have the magnetism of his predecessor Eddie Jones, wing Jonny May believes Borthwick\u2019s rugby nerdiness can pay long-term dividends for England.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re starting to see what a genius Steve is, in terms of how he\u2019s starting to get this team going,\u201d said May. \u201cYou won\u2019t find a harder working man than Steve and his approach to the game is a little bit like Alan Turing.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf anybody is going to crack the code to rugby it will be Steve – and good luck to him. He\u2019s getting ever closer each week. He\u2019s got an analytical brain and evidence-based, scientific, Spock-like approach to the game.<\/p>\n

\u201cWithin his ways, he\u2019s onto something. He\u2019s a young coach, and he\u2019s unique – it\u2019s different the way he goes about the game. He\u2019s obsessed with it.\u201d But 10 months into the role, how is Borthwick doing?<\/p>\n

DON’T MISS: <\/strong> World Rugby ‘reviewing’ Curry’s racism allegation made against South Africa star<\/strong><\/p>\n

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S\u200cteve Borthwick’s England tenure so far rated<\/h2>\n

Results\u00a0–<\/strong>\u00a0On the up. Reaching a World Cup semifinal, however favourable the draw, still has to be done and England did it despite all the headwinds. They were one scrum penalty away from the final.<\/p>\n

Overall though, Borthwick\u2019s 53.3 per cent win ratio from his first 15 Tests remains modest. It places him second bottom on the list of England permanent head coaches in the professional era with only Andy Robinson beneath him.\u200c<\/p>\n

Selection –<\/strong>\u00a0Ballsy. Big call on Owen Farrell ahead of George Ford and Marcus Smith at stand-off for the knockout stages proved justified. Likewise his faith in Dan Cole and the promotions for George Martin and Joe Marler for the semi-final.<\/p>\n

However it should also be remembered that Borthwick left two of his other standouts – May and Alex Mitchell – out of his initial World Cup squad. Lack of faith in the back-up hookers he picked for France 2023 left Jamie George overworked.<\/p>\n