Borthwick extended despite 'horrendous' Six Nations — SkimNews
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- England won only one match in the 2026 Six Nations — their worst return since the tournament expanded a quarter of a century ago.
- Conor O'Shea, the RFU official overseeing England's international set-up, described the campaign as 'horrendous' on Rugby Union Weekly.
- Steve Borthwick's contract has been extended beyond the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia to the end of the Six Nations the following year.
- The extension is framed as a 'holding pattern' rather than a vote of confidence, and falls well short of the five-year deal Andy Farrell received from Ireland in June.
- O'Shea invoked 2015, arguing the RFU was too hasty in removing Stuart Lancaster's coaching group after the pool-stage exit at their home World Cup.
- Borthwick, appointed in December 2022, has a winning percentage short of 60% across nearly four years in charge.
- RFU chief executive Bill Sweeney confirmed succession planning for the next England head coach continues in parallel behind the scenes.
Why it matters: The extension functionally puts Borthwick on notice: his job runs only to the end of the 2028 Six Nations, and the RFU is openly running succession planning in parallel — meaning a semi-final-or-better finish at the 2027 World Cup is the de facto threshold for keeping him, with England unlikely to face South Africa, New Zealand or France until a potential final.
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