'More inspirational’ coach needed – England legend calls for Borthwick to step down
Rugby NewsSunday, 15 March 2026 at 18:58
England legend Austin Healey says Steve Borthwick should step down as England head coach after a disastrous 2026 Six Nations campaign that saw the team win just once in five matches.
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England opened the championship with a dominant 48–7 victory over Wales at Twickenham, but things quickly unravelled. Borthwick’s side were beaten 31–20 by Scotland at Murrayfield before suffering a heavy 42–21 defeat to Ireland at Twickenham.
The campaign then hit a historic low in Rome, where Italy stunned England 23–18 for their first ever Six Nations win over the Red Roses. England finished the tournament with a chaotic 48–46 defeat to France in Paris despite scoring seven tries.
The results left England with just one win from five matches and renewed pressure on Borthwick.
Speaking to TNT Sports, Healey said the performance of the side during the championship cannot be accepted and believes a change of leadership is needed.
“I haven’t changed my opinion because of seven days. I didn’t come to that opinion quickly or because I don’t like Steve,” Healey said.
“It’s not acceptable. England can’t finish the Six Nations with one win. Yes, there was a run of 12 wins on the bounce before that, but there were caveats to that as well.”
Healey believes the Rugby Football Union still has time to make a change before the next World Cup cycle ramps up.
“There is still an opportunity now. There is enough time before the World Cup to put someone else in place.”
He added:
“Something has to change because something hasn’t been right through this period and for me there needs to be someone a bit more inspirational in charge.”
Poll:
England’s 2026 Six Nations results
France 48–46 England
England 48–7 Wales
Scotland 31–20 England
England 21–42 Ireland
Italy 23–18 England
“England fans rightly expect a team that learns and grows through adversity, and we're confident this group will do everything they can to deliver that.”
EDITORS PICKS:
From Best to Worst: Ranking Every England Player from the 2026 Six Nations
There is an odd sense of optimism following England’s narrow defeat at the Stade de France in the final round of the Six Nations, a result that seems to have temporarily masked the deep problems of what has otherwise been their worst Six Nations campaign in history
Steve Borthwick now faces intense scrutiny after England lost four of their five matches, conceded more points than any England side ever has, and finished level on wins with a struggling Wales team.
With that context in mind, we rank every England player who featured in the tournament, from best to worst.
1 Ben Earl
One of the few players whose reputation grew during this tournament. Earl was consistently solid in every England match, repeatedly helping the side through challenging periods with relentless carries.
He finished the campaign with more carries than any other player. While not at his usual exceptional level throughout, he remained a bright spot in an otherwise disappointing England campaign.
2 Joe Heyes
England’s scrum was the main area of improvement, making the front-rowers stand out. Heyes edges out Ellis Genge due to his consistently strong scrummaging.
The Leicester Tigers tighthead has continued his rapid development and now ranks among the world’s best in his position.
3 Ellis Genge
Genge falls just behind Heyes, primarily due to a costly error against Scotland when he dropped the ball near England’s try line, allowing a score.
Aside from that incident, he was a reliable scrummager and contributed effectively around the field. His yellow against France was also a turning point, but that was a bit of a harsh decision, so Genge isn't marked down too harshly for that.
4 Jamie George
George led the tournament in successful lineout throws and was generally dependable, if unspectacular. His experience proved valuable, though England’s reliance on him raises questions about depth at hooker, especially with his planned retirement after the next World Cup.
Overall, he can be reasonably satisfied with his performances.
5 Ollie Chessum
Not always at his peak, but far from a disappointment. Chessum provided physicality in both carrying and defence, showing leadership by taking responsibility after defeats.
His standout moment came against France, scoring two tries, including a spectacular interception-run from near halfway. He can take pride in how he finished the tournament.
6 Alex Coles
Coles made three starts and two bench appearances, reflecting England’s depth struggles. A physical presence in the second row, he performed well when called upon.
He provides valuable squad depth and reliability when needed.
7 Henry Pollock
Pollock occasionally fell short of expectations but injected energy and positivity whenever on the field, a key trait for a young player.
His start against Ireland was underwhelming, and some ill-discipline hindered his impact.
8 Marcus Smith
Smith is not Steve Borthwick’s first-choice fly-half and was mainly used from the bench. Still, he contributed positively when on the field and avoided the wider struggles that affected many teammates.
9 Cadan Murley
Murley only featured in the final two games, but he performed impressively in those appearances.
He showed more than some teammates did over the entire campaign and looks promising on the wing, certainly stronger than those in his position ranked below him.
10 Guy Pepper
Pepper was steady but unspectacular, starting four of five games. He neither made a major impact nor committed critical errors, showing potential for development.
11 Bevan Rodd
A reliable bench option. Solid when used, though with limited opportunity to influence games significantly.
12 Jack van Poortvliet
Provided energy and stability in Alex Mitchell’s absence. Reliable but without standout performances.
13 Seb Atkinson
Made his first Six Nations start against Italy, avoiding much of England’s wider struggles. Not a perfect debut but showed glimpses of potential as a future long-term inside centre, and built on that against France.
14 Tommy Freeman
Still adjusting to outside centre, Freeman has struggled to fully find his role. He was part of an underperforming backline but showed promise against France, scoring what was nearly a late winner.
15 Alex Mitchell
Showed promise before an injury curtailed his overall influence on the tournament.
16 Sam Underhill
A mixed campaign. At times impressive, but inconsistency and teammates’ struggles affected his impact.
17 Fraser Dingwall
Dependable but sometimes slowed England’s attack at inside centre.
Provides distribution as an additional playmaker but rarely threatens the gainline consistently. This is more a reflection of tactics than individual shortcomings.
18 Tom Curry
Injured against Italy and otherwise fairly average across the tournament.
19 Ben Spencer
A very average campaign. Dependable in some areas but limited in overall impact. His continued significant minutes remain questionable.
20 Ollie Lawrence
Appeared only against Ireland. Played tidily but with limited opportunity to make a bigger impression.
21 Trevor Davison
Effective as a replacement but naturally had little influence at Test level given his position.
22 George Ford
Ford showed off-field leadership and thoughtful insights about England’s issues.
On-field performances, however, did not match his influence. Missed opportunities, such as a drop goal against Scotland, proved costly.
23 Tom Roebuck
A disappointing campaign. Offered little attacking threat on the wing and often appeared ineffective.
24 Maro Itoje
A tough tournament for Itoje given personal circumstances.
As captain, he struggled to influence games consistently, including an outburst toward Fin Smith. He improved against France but overall fell short of expectations.
25 Elliot Daly
Appeared off the pace against Italy and no longer seems to operate at full Test-match level. Showed improvement against France, but doesn't seem a viable option going forward.
26 Fin Smith
A young player with huge potential, but a poor performance against Italy contributed to an embarrassing defeat.
Kicking was predictable and lacked variation, whether due to tactics or decision-making. Actually mixed it up and played well against France, even if his lack of conversions ended up being the difference.
27 Freddie Steward
Had one of the tournament’s lowest points against Ireland, receiving a red card and leaving the field after 30 minutes. Highlights areas for improvement despite not being a scapegoat.
28 Henry Arundell
Scored tries but his ill-discipline against Scotland was costly and contributed to England’s decline. Ineffective against Ireland and overly reliant on pace, though still young and capable of bouncing back.
29 Luke Cowan-Dickie
England’s lowest-ranked player in the Six Nations. Struggled especially against Ireland. Lineout throwing was unreliable and he made little impact elsewhere, making it difficult to overlook these issues.
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