Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

'The problem this autumn was quite a few things got magnified'

By PA
(Photo by ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images)

Rob Baxter believes it would be “fantastic” if Steve Borthwick’s work in the Gallagher Premiership underpins his expected appointment as England head coach.

ADVERTISEMENT

Borthwick, a former England forwards coach and ex-England captain, has transformed Leicester since joining them in 2020, masterminding a Premiership title triumph last season.

Australian Eddie Jones was sacked as England boss on Tuesday, less than nine weeks before England’s Guinness Six Nations opener against Scotland and just nine months before the World Cup starts.

Video Spacer

Video Spacer

His seven-year reign came to an end following a Rugby Football Union review of the Autumn Nations Series, which produced defeats against Argentina and South Africa, plus a draw with New Zealand, and 43-year-old Cumbrian Borthwick is the clear favourite to take over.

“If it is Steve – and I don’t think any of us have been told – and it has been based on how he has worked through in the Premiership, that for me would be fantastic,” Exeter rugby director Baxter said.

“It would show there is a genuine pathway within this country, and there is a general feeling across the board that that is what we are trying to achieve.

“I have always been surprised that you have to have come from an international coaching environment to have the credentials to be able to deal with the difficulties you are going to get thrown on a day-by-day basis.

ADVERTISEMENT

“You may have to be a different character to deal with the spotlight that gets put on pretty much everything you say and the interviews you do and the selections you make.

“At Exeter, if I make a selection it might get ripped to pieces by 10,000 people. If you make a selection for England it might get ripped apart by a million people.

“That is the challenge, isn’t it? The challenge isn’t the day to day, it is that bigger environment.”

Reflecting on Leicester’s Premiership success last term, Baxter added: “There is a simple way of looking at this – teams that are successful tend to enjoy what they do.

ADVERTISEMENT

“Look at what Leicester achieved last season, and it didn’t look like the Leicester players weren’t enjoying that success and enjoying what they were doing.

“However Steve wants to coach or lead the team, you will see it in their level of performances whether they are really buying into it and really enjoying it.

“I am not going to sit here and tell you I know how Steve Borthwick coaches, because I don’t, and I can’t tell you I know anybody in the (Leicester) dressing room, because I don’t.

“But at the same time, if you had watched the Leicester guys last season you wouldn’t have thought that was a joyless experience those guys were having, would you? That is the indicator of where things are.”

Baxter inspired the Chiefs’ Heineken Champions Cup win in 2020 and two Premiership title successes, compiling an impressive CV that has previously contributed to him being linked with English rugby’s top job.

He has, though, signed a long-term contract extension with the Chiefs, alongside fellow coaches Ali Hepher, Rob Hunter and Ricky Pellow.

“Without doubt, it (England) is a challenging job,” Baxter said.

“Everyone has a certain way of doing it. Eddie had a certain way of doing it, coaches before had a certain way of doing it, and that is where you can impress your character on the team a little bit.

“It is the magnification that is the challenge, and obviously the big challenge is not making the slips. It is the slips that kill you, and it is the slips that get magnified more than the successes.

“On the whole, Eddie has been pretty successful if you go game by game. The problem this autumn was quite a few things got magnified and it all came a little bit in one go.

“The general public as a whole had a bit of unrest about how England were playing, and if you have got some unrest about how England are playing then the results don’t come, smaller bits get magnified.

“It is a tough scenario. I am surprised it (Jones’ departure) happened at this stage, just purely on timing, getting towards the second half of the season, through the Six Nations and building towards the World Cup.

“If you are not party to the workings of the inner sanctum, we are all guessing a little bit. It does feel like it has happened rather quickly.”

ADVERTISEMENT

LIVE

{{item.title}}

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

T
TI 4 hours ago
All Blacks player ratings vs Italy | Autumn Nations Series

Rieko took literally years to turn from a defensive liability at 13 into a guy, who’s defensively sound as it befits the position. And it all came at the cost of him being much less of an offensive threat, than what he used to be. Proctor is a natural 13, he handles, passes, and kicks way better than Rieko ever will, he just isn’t as fast.


It’s unfair to judge Tupaea on the handful of games he’s had in 2022 before he got nearly crippled by a Wallaby lock. What could Tupaea/Proctor pairing be, if they got the same amount of chances as Jordie/Rieko?


Because no matter how you spin it, playing a player outside of his natural position is a poor asset management. No matter how talented he is, he still competes against players who had years and years of practice at the position. And if said guy is so talented that he actually CAN compete against specialists, imagine how much better still he could have been, if he had all those years to iron the toothing issues at the position. It just drives me mad.


Two things I hate in rugby union beyond description: aping after league, and playing players outside of their natural position. Especially considering, that they all admit they hate it, when they’re allowed to speak freely. Owen Farrell spent 80% of his international career at 12, saying every time when asked, that he is a 10 and prefers to play at 10. Those players are literally held at a gunpoint: play out of position, or no national jersey for you.

48 Go to comments
TRENDING
TRENDING Fissler Confidential: Willie le Roux rumours ignite after Bok star spotted Fissler Confidential: Willie le Roux rumours ignite after Bok star spo
Search