Precise formations, instant decision-making, absolute synchronicity. It is not hard to grasp why Steve Borthwick and his assistants spent an instructive day with the Red Arrows last month in preparation for a Six Nations campaign in which they would love to soar even higher and leave their rivals gazing at their vapour trails.
Squadron leader Borthwick was particularly struck by the clarity of the Red Arrows operation – “They were so clear and to the point about what they must do better” – and how the world-renowned air display team choose their elite personnel. “The lead pilot basically said: ‘Every one of these pilots is a great pilot. What we’re going to select on is the character of these people.’ I thought how great that is and how consistent that is with what we do.”
Of course there are one or two slight differences involved here. You wouldn’t want to be in charge of wedging some of England’s tight forwards into a tiny cockpit and taking your eye off the ball is not an option when you are flying a jet at 400mph. But if you are Borthwick, keen to expand your team’s horizons and sharpen their focus, it is the perfect reminder that even the very best are always pursuing improvement.
In that respect the 36-man squad for the 2026 championship is most notable for the growing competition for starting XV places after 11 consecutive Test wins. Notwithstanding some injury issues in the front row, where England are missing a few big beasts and have drafted in the 20-year-old Billy Sela from Bath plus the Northampton pair of Trevor Davison and Emmanuel Iyogun, training could be lively when the squad relocate next week to the slightly more temperate Costa Brava.
Take the midfield and back three. With the exception of Fin Smith and Ollie Lawrence, both of whom will initially be rehabbing injuries in Girona, there are any number of fast-moving contenders looking to feature against Wales in a fortnight. Listening to Borthwick talking inside the England home dressing room – the nearest some of us hacks will ever come to winning a Test cap – it was hard to escape the conclusion he is genuinely excited by what his team could ultimately achieve.
He even said it out loud, happy to speculate about hordes of England supporters descending en masse on Paris for the tournament’s final weekend in March. “I think this team has the potential to be an outstanding team,” reiterated the head coach, happy to acknowledge England have not kicked off a Six Nations campaign with as much momentum for a while.
The trick, as ever, is to strike the right balance. As things stand, with Lawrence, Fin Smith and Tom Roebuck all doubtful for the Wales game, there seems every chance of Tommy Freeman remaining at 13 – “He’s very much moving now into the centre,’ said Borthwick – with his clubmate Fraser Dingwall on his inside unless Max Ojomoh or Seb Atkinson absolutely rip it up next week.
That would leave Manny Feyi‑Waboso on one wing, either Cadan Murley or Henry Arundell on the other and probably Freddie Steward at full-back unless the fit-again George Furbank looks instantly back to his best after an injury-ravaged year. Borthwick talked up Furbank’s decision‑making and ability to slide in at 10 if required – he left out his appropriately RAF-style moustache – but for the first couple of rounds it could be that Marcus Smith, Elliot Daly or Henry Slade are invited to offer bench versatility instead.
Back in the front row, however, Borthwick freely admits he needs experienced old soldiers like Jamie George, Luke Cowan-Dickie and Ellis Genge to step up in the absence of the injured Will Stuart and Asher Opoku-Fordjour and the currently unavailable Fin Baxter. With Maro Itoje unable to attend the Six Nations launch in Edinburgh on Monday because of family commitments following the death of his mother last month, the 35-year-old George will deputise for him and is still seen as an essential cog despite his decision to retire at the end of next year.
At the opposite end of the experience scale is Sela but the age-grade international has long been earmarked for the top level. Borthwick has tracked his progress for three years and, in a happy coincidence, England’s scrum coach Tom Harrison – “Tom knows about every prop playing rugby in England down to about level seven,” said Borthwick – attended the same school, Beechen Cliff, as his protege.
The former Wales and British and Ireland Lions wing Liam Williams announced on Friday that he has retired from international rugby. "I have decided that the time has come to say goodbye," he posted on Instagram.
The 34-year-old won 93 caps and scored 21 tries for Wales since making his debut in 2012. He went on to win two Six Nations titles, including the 2019 Grand Slam, and reached the semi-finals of that year’s World Cup – although injury ruled him out of the match.
Williams also won five caps for the Lions across two tours, first to New Zealand in 2017 when he was the starting full-back in all three Tests and then in the Covid-affected 2021 tour to South Africa.
"From working as a scaffolder in Port Talbot steelworks, to pulling on that famous red jersey," he said in his post. "It’s been a journey built on hard work, sacrifice and the support of so many people along the way. The dedicated and loyal Welsh fans. Amazing teammates, great coaches, the backroom staff and friends."
For now, though, there is still one more weekend of Prem games to get through unscathed. Exeter’s Greg Fisilau, even so, will be walking on air having edged ahead of other possible No 8 contenders such as Emeka Ilione, Alex Dombrandt and Alfie Barbeary. Iyogun, preferred to Bath’s Beno Obano, will be similarly thrilled.
It just leaves England’s management to finalise the right mix against Wales and to maximise the opportunity ahead of them. Borthwick was as taken aback as anyone by Scott Robertson’s recent departure as All Blacks coach – “I was really surprised and very disappointed for Scott because I think he’s a great coach” – but the time for contemplative chin stroking is over. As the Red Arrows have reminded him, you don’t get ahead by resting on your laurels.
