England's summer Nations Championship campaign has come to a close, leaving fans of the national rugby team scratching their heads. The RFU had given Steve Borthwick the nod in May, but with one win from six matches in the Six Nations, many were already questioning his tenure. And now, after a mixed bag of results over the summer, it's hard not to wonder if the head coach is truly on the right track.
The most glaring issue remains England's woeful discipline – despite the RFU's clear message for improvement in this area. The summer fixtures showed no significant change, with Matt Dawson labelling their ill-discipline as "comical" after a 31-24 win over Argentina, where England picked up multiple yellow cards. That's now 14 yellows across eight matches for Borthwick's side, with Danny Care highlighting the alarming trend: England have spent over two hours of rugby this year without a full complement of players on the pitch due to these infringements. "They won't win Test matches against the best teams," Care warned, and it's hard to disagree.
But there were moments of promise on the attacking front – particularly with Immanuel Feyi-Waboso back in the fold. England's attack showed flashes of free-flowing rugby, especially against Fiji and Argentina, where they scored 35 points in the first half alone. And Feyi-Waboso was the star man, making 116 metres, beating 13 defenders from just 12 carries, and producing four line breaks. Ugo Monye even called it his best game for England – and questioned why it took so long to unleash his attacking prowess.
The challenge now is to manage these key talents effectively, ensuring Feyi-Waboso and Tommy Freeman remain fit and are deployed to maximum effect over the coming months. Can Borthwick's side find a way to balance discipline with flair? The summer results suggest it won't be easy – but there's no doubt that progress has been made.
England's attack, overseen by Lee Blackett, showed glimpses of improvement, especially against Fiji and in the first half against Argentina. However, the need for a more effective game plan is still pressing, as they struggled to make an impact on the scoreboard against South Africa.
The RFU had highlighted discipline and attacking potency as key areas for improvement, but it's clear that more work needs to be done – especially if England hope to regain their World Cup-winning form. The road ahead won't be easy, but with players like Feyi-Waboso back in the fold, there's no reason to give up on Borthwick just yet.