England head coach Steve Borthwick is set to remain in charge beyond the 2028 Six Nations as the Rugby Football Union (RFU) moves to eliminate uncertainty over his position ahead of next year’s Rugby World Cup in Australia.
The decision reflects the RFU’s desire to provide Borthwick and his coaching staff with stability as England enter the final stages of their preparations for the global tournament.
RFU performance director Conor O’Shea said it would be unfair to expect the coaching team to prepare for a World Cup while simultaneously worrying about their employment prospects. He said extending Borthwick’s contract would give the organisation enough time to assess his long-term future after the tournament.
“You don’t want them looking for a job going into a World Cup,” O’Shea said, stressing that although the team’s performance in Australia would be closely scrutinised, uncertainty over the coaches’ futures should not become a distraction.
The move comes after a difficult Six Nations campaign earlier this year, which prompted an RFU review and was described by O’Shea as “horrendous”. England subsequently showed signs of recovery during the July Nations Championship, beating Fiji and Argentina after suffering a heavy defeat against South Africa in Johannesburg.
O’Shea believes that improvement demonstrates that England have the quality to challenge for the biggest prize in international rugby. He has identified England as one of around five nations capable of winning the 2027 World Cup.
“I believe this team can win a World Cup,” O’Shea said, insisting that England possess the necessary talent to compete with the strongest teams in the world.
He also offered strong backing for Borthwick personally, describing him as a coach deeply committed to England’s success and confident that the team can defeat any opponent if it produces its best form over the next 12 months.
The extension is not, however, being presented as an unconditional long-term commitment. Unlike Ireland head coach Andy Farrell, whose contract runs through to 2031, Borthwick’s future beyond the revised period will be considered after the RFU has had sufficient time to assess the team’s progress and World Cup performance.
For now, the priority is stability. With the World Cup approaching, the RFU believes removing contractual uncertainty will allow Borthwick and his players to focus fully on preparing England for a campaign that O’Shea believes could end with them lifting the Webb Ellis Cup.
