Steve Borthwick names his England squad on Monday… his staff should play with tempo, attempt new issues, and produce ardour

Steve Borthwick names his England World Cup squad on Monday and when he sits down with these 33 gamers he should draw a line beneath the horror present towards Wales. That outcome must be forgotten — and shortly.

The England head coach nonetheless has time to show issues round. Right here is my five-point plan for a way he can do it…

PLAY WITH PACE

England should discover a approach of taking part in with tempo. Borthwick’s aspect gained’t beat the very best groups on the World Cup with the identical previous ways of kick and chase! 

The way in which to make sure you are taking part in at tempo is the pace of play from lineouts, scrums and the breakdown. I at all times used a name out ‘9 hanging’ which meant our scrum-half was out of breath as a result of he was having to work so arduous to get to each ruck. A staff ought to be capable to ask the scrum-half: ‘Are you hanging?’ If he isn’t, the staff will not be taking part in fast sufficient! 

From what I’ve seen of the Borthwick period to date, England are simply far too sluggish from these three key areas of play. There must be an entire shift in strategy with the handbrake taken off.

Steve Borthwick will title his 33-man England World Cup squad on Monday

The staff have loads of work to do after their dire exhibiting towards Wales on Saturday

Cease stifling Care

To play with tempo for 80 minutes you want the proper gamers on the sector. My back-row can be Tom Curry, Ben Earl and Zach Mercer. I’d even have both Alex Mitchell, Raffi Quirke or Ben Spencer as scrum-half choices. 

Sadly, Mercer, Mitchell, Quirke and Spencer aren’t within the squad which says rather a lot! That mentioned, England can pace up the way in which they play with the gamers Borthwick has chosen.

It’s all the way down to teaching and this must go to a very completely different degree. Danny Care does play shortly in a Harlequins shirt however with England, he’s clearly instructed to kick and even worse, sluggish the ball down at rucks whereas he will get runners in place.

Within the first 60 seconds of the sport in Cardiff, Care slowed the ball down and it set the tone for the entire recreation. Jack van Poortvliet did the identical when he got here on and at that time, England have been behind and chasing the sport. Why? For me it’s a recipe for catastrophe.

England should cease stifling Danny Care. Why did he should sluggish the ball down towards Wales?

Give the primary staff time to gel  

England nonetheless have three video games earlier than their World Cup opener with Argentina. Borthwick should choose his first alternative XV for the rematch with Wales at Twickenham on Saturday and provides all England followers a staff to get behind. It must be the identical for the journey to Eire.

England’s key gamers can then be rested towards Fiji with Argentina in thoughts. Cardiff confirmed that England don’t at the moment have a recreation plan to beat the very best on this planet, no matter choice. As a coach, I at all times used to say if I had 4 video games, I may make an influence on any staff. There’s nonetheless time earlier than Argentina however the clock is ticking.

Attempt new issues 

England want to make use of their remaining warm-up matches to take their recreation to the extent required to win the World Cup. 

I didn’t thoughts that England misplaced to Wales. Defeats occur. However what I did thoughts was the way in which they performed which actually shocked me. Why kick for purpose thrice within the first half of a warm-up recreation? 

England might want to do excess of that to achieve success on the World Cup so Borthwick should inform his gamers to make use of these video games to attempt issues out earlier than its too late.

England have to attempt new issues and be passionate. The performed confirmed no urgency in Cardiff

No ‘if onlys’, convey the fervour! 

I might be telling the England gamers simply how massive an opportunity they’ve on the World Cup. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime alternative. A number of the gamers on this squad gained’t play in one other. 

Borthwick’s gamers didn’t present any sense of urgency in Cardiff. Many should be regretting that recreation now. It was an enormous alternative missed, particularly for these on the fringes of the squad. 

England do have the gamers to beat any staff they usually can nonetheless accomplish that however we want ardour and actual pleasure based mostly solely about the way in which we’re going to play. That’s what skilled sport is all about.