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Six Nations

Steve Borthwick confirms when Kevin Sinfield will leave England post

By PA
(Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

Kevin Sinfield is to step down as England defence coach after the summer tour to Japan and New Zealand.

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Sinfield has been Steve Borthwick’s number two since the start of his reign in December 2022 but his time at Twickenham will come to an end after 18 months.

Before he moves on, the Leeds rugby league great will take charge of individual skills and work with the kickers having previously overseen the defence.

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    “Kevin after the World Cup had a period of reflection, like every member of the management team did,” Borthwick said.

    “Kev’s decided that longer-term he’s going to head in a different direction away from the England rugby team.

    “He’s going to work with the team through the Six Nations and through the summer tour.

    “Ahead of the autumn series Kev will not work with the team then, he will move away from the team and in a different direction.”

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    When asked to expand on Sinfield’s future plans, Borthwick replied: “Not right now and Kev hasn’t told us. That’s a question you can discuss with Kev in due course.

    “I’m just grateful that’s he added so much value over these 12 months and that he’s going to stay with the team for the Six Nations and the summer tour.

    “Through this first 12 months, Kev’s role and what he’s added as we’ve reset the team, you can’t overstate the value he’s brought, what he’s done and the relationships he’s built.

    “I’ve changed his role to skills and he will be working specifically on catch-pass skills with the kickers and goalkickers, which he does so very well.”

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    Related

    England statement: Recruitment of Strawbridge, new Sinfield role

    Incoming assistant coach Felix Jones, who joins the coaching set-up having helped South Africa to back-to-back Rugby World Cup triumphs, will now be responsible for England’s defence.

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    Comments on RugbyPass

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    Flankly 12 minutes ago
    Robbie Fleck: Key to South African Champions Cup success rests with Rassie

    Not sure I understand. Its not obvious how you prioritize URC, Champions/Challenge Cup, Internationals, and rest. And if you add player development plans (eg experience of positions, playing conditions, game plans, opponents playing styles etc) it becomes harder. Additionally, consistency of selection helps with making adjustments to systems and tactics, so that further constrains your options. Travel challenges don’t make it easier.


    Jake White has effectively decided that he would rather have a chance of success in one competition, at the expense of the other competition, than a near certainty of heroic failure in both. And he has implied that over time he plans to build enough depth to give the Bulls a chance in both the URC and Champions Cup simultaneously.


    Not sure what is being proposed here that is supposedly a better plan.

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    IkeaBoy 18 minutes ago
    'He's a special player': Lawrence Dallaglio backs Henry Pollock to be Lions bolter

    Indeed he has STARTED more test games at 8. I actually said he’s PLAYED more games at 7, though. Do you remember where he tended to play when he came on wearing #20?


    He likely will select on the basis of win ratios. IRE and ENG won 4, SCOT won 2 and WAL won none. 6 Irish, 6 English, 3 Scottish seems about right for the starting 15.


    Yeah, I think he’ll definitely bring Beirne to have as a utility lock/flanker. Doris’ discipline and leadership has maybe rocked a little this year but he’s still the best 8 in the game.

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    IkeaBoy 44 minutes ago
    Why Les Kiss and Stuart Lancaster can lead Australia to glory

    Soccer on a rugby forum…


    “Experience is strongly correlated with age, at least among the managers that I named”…


    Slot and Arteta are among the youngest you named. They have the least experience as a manager (6 years each). Espírito Santo and Pep are the oldest and have the most (12 years + each). Pep is pushing 17 years experience, all at elite level. There are plenty around his age that won’t have the same level of experience. Plenty.


    The younger breed you mentioned (Arteta in particular) may not coach at elite level beyond the next few years if they continue to not win trophies. Age and experience is not always a nice, steady gradient.


    The only trend in English soccer is that managers don’t stay on as long with the same club. Due to the nature of the game and the assumed, immediate performance bounce of replacing them at the first sign of trouble. Knee-jerk style. Test rugby has no clear pattern of that.


    Why would you dismiss a paradox? Contradictions are often revealing. Or is that too incoherent?

    143 Go to comments
    B
    BA 1 hour ago
    The raw data that proves Super Rugby Pacific is currently a cut above

    You can’t compare the “quality”of competitions till they play against each other … what we do know is that nz teams filled with ABs and ABs can go at it with anyone in the world and these other teams and players are competing so would say the quality is high wouldn’t you? How are you determining that URC or top 14 is higher quality than Super I’m guessing you mean in the quality of players and execution ? Are you just assuming that it is because…. I would say it’s much of a muchness and the only indicator for that is international rugby and that is hella even

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    Deanbeckette 1 hour ago
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    CV 1 hour ago
    'Matches between Les Bleus and the All Blacks are rarely for the faint-hearted.'

    Indeed.

    They’ve started to manage players better in France. Clubs and the FFR have now found a middle ground that works, especially when it comes to player welfare. In the past, French test players had to play the top 14 games in the weeks the 6N was off, no more. They don’t rest their foreign players though. Players like Kinghorn and Capuozzo still played for Toulouse between 6N weekends when French players didn’t have to. It has


    Kinghorn and Jack Willis have become world class at Toulouse. Players get better in France. REC nations have heaps of players in the ProD2, it shows.

    113 Go to comments
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    NB 1 hour ago
    Why Les Kiss and Stuart Lancaster can lead Australia to glory

    He would have made all the diff.

    143 Go to comments
    N
    NB 1 hour ago
    Why Les Kiss and Stuart Lancaster can lead Australia to glory

    I’m not sure you appreciate the look that was his team missing their own WC.

    I wish I didn’t. I experienced it first hand.


    Coaching Aussie would be more a pure coaching choice, finding a team which has a sympathy with the way you like to coach the game.

    143 Go to comments
    N
    NB 1 hour ago
    Why Les Kiss and Stuart Lancaster can lead Australia to glory

    Well Bruce Arians won the SB at 68 a few years ago and Belichick was still at the top of his game at the age of 66. AFAIK both Larry Brown and Phil Jackson won NBA titles in their mid 60’s. So it’s pretty common for coaches to be winning at the top level then.


    Americans value experience because their professional sports are all far older than rugby, it will just take us a while to catch up. Those Yoda guys are like gold dust.

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    NB 1 hour ago
    Why Les Kiss and Stuart Lancaster can lead Australia to glory

    Well done indeed DW🤣👍

    143 Go to comments
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    NB 1 hour ago
    Why Les Kiss and Stuart Lancaster can lead Australia to glory

    I think he was the owner, Matthew Lillard was the young GM, which tells you all you need to know!


    But yeah they were cardboard caricatures of Moneyball guys who looked at their laptops and never went to games…

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    IkeaBoy 1 hour ago
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    Poor guy. Really seems to have hurt his feelings that plenty know he’s useless in his role. Stealing a living.

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    CM 2 hours ago
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    Shame on those who voted to keep Sweeney in his lucrative job. I have seen NO improvement in English rugby since his appointment. Just an increase in his bank balance.

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    fl 2 hours ago
    'He's a special player': Lawrence Dallaglio backs Henry Pollock to be Lions bolter

    “The debate was in the context of the Lions squad. Multiple club and national coaches have chosen him (considerably) more often at 7, so there’s enough people fancy he’s good in the role.”

    He’s started (considerably) more international matches at 8 than at 7. So while plenty of people fancy he’s a good club 7, international coaches haven’t seemed to agree!


    “The win rates are vitally important for this Lions tour”

    I agree. But you can’t just select players on the basis of their individual win rates.


    “Farrell is a straight forward, no nonsense type of guy. He’ll probably pick conservatively and with guys in their proven positions. He hasn’t the time for bolters or shock calls. Not with the touring schedule they have.”

    Yes, I was thinking more England selections. For the Lions tour then if Doris and Tom Curry both start then Earl becomes a pretty viable option at 7. But if Doris ever gets injured, or Farrell wants either Chessum or Tadgh Beirne at 6, then Earl will move to 8.

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    dw 2 hours ago
    Why Les Kiss and Stuart Lancaster can lead Australia to glory

    I emailed Roy and HG some suggestions recently and they took the p*** out of me on air for being a rugby fan rather than a fan of “the greatest game of all”. Very proud moment.

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    Cantab 2 hours ago
    I do worry seeing the Crusaders get manhandled by Moana Pasifika

    I will reserve judgement until after Crusaders match with the Drua in Lautoka. Playing there is an acid test for any team as Drua are notoriously hard to beat there for anyone. A good win there will go a long way to restoring their reputation. Seems this years Crusaders run hot and cold so they really need consistency especially on defence as they concede too many points and penalties at times

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    Ed the Duck 2 hours ago
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    OJohn 2 hours ago
    Why Les Kiss and Stuart Lancaster can lead Australia to glory

    Heaven forbid fair dinkum elite athlete Australians are allowed to offer an opinion on Australian rugby. Strewth ……

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