England were beaten finalists at the last Rugby World Cup in Japan, but the last 12 months have been rocky to say the least for the 2019 runners-up, winning just five of their 12 games in 2022 before parting company with head coach Eddie Jones.
The Australian’s replacement at the top table is ex-Leicester boss Steve Borthwick, a former England captain and someone who acted as forwards coach for the first five of Jones’ seven years in charge between 2015 and 2020.
An all-action second-rower, 43-year-old Borthwick won 57 England caps during his playing career, and captained the side in 2008 and 2009, during which time he played for Bath and later Saracens before retiring in 2014.
His move into coaching came almost as soon as he hung up the boots, but after fulfilling assistant and specialist roles until 2020, it was his tenure as the Leicester’s head coach which really caught the attention of the RFU, leading the Tigers to their first Premiership since 2013 in only his second full season in charge.
With a backroom team consisting of rugby league legend Kevin Sinfield (defence), former All Black Nick Evans (attack) and former Leicester director of rugby Richard Cockerill (forwards), Borthwick has certainly picked an intriguing first squad ahead of the Six Nations, and one which will hopefully bring back the excitement and spark which was sorely lacking from England during Jones’ final months.
MORE: Ex-England coach Seibold gives his views on state of the game in the UK.
Who is in the England squad for the 2023 Six Nations?
Steve Borthwick’s first England squad features 36 players in total, with a split of 20 forwards and 16 backs. Four uncapped players feature in that number, all of whom could make their debuts in England’s first match of the tournament against Scotland.
*Flanker Courtney Lawes, centre Elliot Daly and hookers George McGuigan and Jamie George were initially called up to the squad by Borthwick, but have since withdrawn with injuries. David Ribbans, Ollie Lawrence, Tom Dunn and Jamie Blamire have been called up to cover the quartet respectively.
Three of England’s four debutants ply their trade in the backline, with former Worcester fly-half Fin Smith, who also qualifies for Scotland, joined by wingers Ollie Hassell-Collins and Cadan Murley. Murley in particular has been in red-hot form this season, scoring eight tries in the Premiership (Hassell-Collins has nine), and also crossing the whitewash in three of his four games played in the Heineken Champions Cup.
What is England’s Six Nations schedule?
Steve Borthwick’s debut campaign as England’s head coach begins on Saturday, February 4 against Scotland at Murrayfield, and their 2023 Six Nations will conclude in Dublin, where England will face Ireland on Saturday, March 18.
