Statement: Steve Borthwick adds two coaches to his England staff

Monday, 28 April 2025 at 16:06

byRugby Rucker

Steve Borthwick has bolstered his coaching team ahead of England’s Summer Tour to Argentina and the United States, bringing in two fresh faces to the international setup.

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Bath attack coach Lee Blackett and Sale Sharks defence coach Byron McGuigan will join the England camp for the July series, stepping into temporary roles for the duration of the tour.

Blackett, a former Wasps boss who is now thriving at Bath, will take over from Richard Wigglesworth while he is away on duty with The British & Irish Lions in Australia. Meanwhile, McGuigan, the ex-Scotland international, will assist Joe El-Abd with England’s defensive structures during the summer.

England’s schedule sees them face Argentina in a two-Test series, with matches in La Plata on Saturday 5 July and San Juan on Saturday 12 July. They will then head north to Washington D.C. to take on the USA Eagles on Saturday 19 July.

Both Blackett and McGuigan will return to their club roles after the tour concludes.

Speaking about the new arrivals, England head coach Borthwick said:

“Lee and Byron will be excellent additions to our coaching group this summer.”

He added: “England have traditionally travelled to Argentina when The British & Irish Lions play. It is a summer series that has always provided a fantastic opportunity for Premiership coaches to work in the Test environment. I am delighted that we are able to do just that once again.”

Borthwick also praised their coaching styles, saying:

“Lee and Byron both have a mindset and approach to their coaching that very much align with how we want to continue to play.”

“Lee has a proven track record of developing teams that play smart and effective attacking rugby. Byron brings an energy and strong understanding of the game that underpins an aggressive defence.”

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While some players have all but booked their tickets to Australia, others are sweating bullets. Whether it’s poor form, fierce competition, or a coach with long memories, a few major names could be on the chopping block.

Here are five shock omissions we think are on the cards—and why their Lions dreams might be dead before the squad is even named…

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Moments of magic? Always. But consistency? Not so much. Russell’s 2025 Six Nations was a mixed bag at best. A missed conversion against England and a disastrous showing versus France have left serious questions about his big-game temperament.

Add in the appointment of Johnny Sexton as Lions assistant coach, and things start looking bleak. In his autobiography, Sexton slammed Russell’s 2021 selection as a media-driven hype job—and he hasn’t softened since.

“If you want someone reliable in the trenches, you go with Owen Farrell,” Sexton recently told The Times, taking a not-so-subtle dig at Russell’s “flashy” style. He even spared Marcus Smith, calling him a “generational talent.” Finn? Not so lucky.

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He’s still a classy operator on his day, but with Farrell spoiled for choice in the midfield, Ringrose may find himself edged out by younger, more in-form options.

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Fraser Dingwall took his place in the England squad, and now Slade’s international future—and Lions hopes—look grim. Having already missed out on the 2023 World Cup, the Exeter man may once again fall victim to poor form at the worst possible time.

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