Steve Borthwick has been backed to continue as England head coach through to the 2027 World Cup after the RFU held what they call a ‘detailed and robust’ review into the Six Nations.
England produced what was statistically the worst Championship in their history in 2026, losing four straight matches after their opening victory over Wales to finish fifth.
That shock run included a first defeat by Italy and came on the back of 12 straight Test wins.
It prompted the RFU to analyse all elements of the England set-up, including Borthwick’s position as the man in charge.
The RFU said in a statement: ‘The review concluded that despite coming off a 12‑game winning run, England’s underperformance across the Six Nations was not the result of a singular failure or issue.
‘Instead, it highlighted a number of interconnected performance areas, such as discipline, execution of opportunities and making the most of key moments, where improvement is required if England are to consistently perform at the level expected.’
Bill Sweeney, RFU CEO, said: ‘Steve has engaged in this process with full openness and has clear plans in place to address these findings.
‘We are all behind him and his coaching team going into the Nations Championship and the series of matches leading into Rugby World Cup 2027.
Steve Borthwick will continue as England coach into next year’s World Cup
‘This has been a thorough and honest review and it is clear improvement will come from addressing several areas rather than chasing one simple answer.
‘We’ve all seen what this England side is capable of – most recently in the performance against France and during the strong winning run before that.
‘That doesn’t disappear overnight.
‘The challenge now is delivering that level consistently and we are confident this group can do that, supported by the insight and feedback this review has surfaced.
‘This is a young England team that is still growing and developing and we understand progress in international sport is rarely linear.’
The identities of the individuals leading the RFU review remain unknown, but Borthwick, his back-room staff and certain players were asked for their feedback on how the campaign went.
English rugby’s governing body has been accused of a lack of transparency and accountability by refusing to reveal the identities of those involved in the process, with 2003 World Cup-winning coach and Daily Mail Sport columnist Sir Clive Woodward leading the criticism.
But the upshot is Borthwick will now stay in charge of the national team, starting with this summer’s Nations Championship campaign in which England face back-to-back World Cup winners South Africa, Fiji and Argentina.
The RFU said: ‘Following the conclusion of the Guinness Men’s Six Nations, the RFU, with the support of external independent contributors, has completed a detailed and robust review of the campaign, informed by players, coaches and the wider back-room team.
‘The process included a series of in‑person one‑to‑one conversations, enabling open, constructive and, at times, challenging discussions.
‘These conversations, along with other insight, helped ensure the review was grounded in honesty and a focused assessment of where things didn’t go well across the Championship.
England suffered a 42-21 defeat by Ireland as part of statistically their worst Six Nations ever
‘While performance confidentiality in a competitive international sporting environment limits the level of detail that can be shared publicly – particularly around game strategy and execution – the way in which the team aspires to play was clear throughout the review.
‘We recognise why supporters felt frustrated and that they expected more. That disappointment was shared internally and it underpinned the seriousness with which everyone engaged in this process.
‘England head coach Steve Borthwick has engaged in the review with honesty and rigour and he and his coaching team are already addressing issues identified.’
Asked to review the Six Nations last month, Bristol’s England prop Ellis Genge said he had been asked to provide his feedback on the campaign and gave his backing to Borthwick.
He also defended the RFU’s review process.
‘That’s probably why they batten down the hatches,’ Genge said. ‘Everyone has an opinion, as I do, and would it be helpful to open it up and let donuts have an opinion?
‘Is it good to open it up to everyone and would that distract people more? From a performance perspective, how would that help you move forward?’
