Exclusive: Head coach would survive pool-stage exit as he is viewed by RFU as key to rebuilding process for 2027 World Cup in Australia
Steve Borthwick’s position as England head coach is not under threat even if his side fail to make it out of the pool stage at the Rugby World Cup in France, Telegraph Sport understands.
Borthwick’s side begin their campaign as underdogs in a crucial pool match against Argentina in Marseille on Saturday night, with just three wins from their last nine games.
A victory against Argentina, who are ranked two places higher than England at sixth in the World Rugby rankings, would kick-start Borthwick’s tenure and put his side in pole position to qualify for the quarter-finals, in a pool that also contains Japan, Chile and Samoa.
Defeat however would lead to three weeks of angst ahead of their final game against Samoa, who pushed Ireland close in their final warm-up match in Bayonne last month.