Steve Borthwick's honourable qualities even extend to nominative determinism.
Every time England’s new head coach needs a refocus on how to treat his players, he will look at his two young sons. The 43-year-old will ask himself: "Would I want Hunter and Chase coached by me?"
The closer to "yes" that he comes in his answer, the better the job he will be doing. Borthwick has spent every moment of his life in rugby striving, seeking, pushing.
His boys' names in part surely underscore his own ambitions, and the attitudes with which he would hope to imbue his children. Only one of rugby's most earnest men could bestow names upon his boys that double as positive gerunds.
But then again, maybe the monikers were simply his Australian wife's handiwork. What is not in doubt is that Borthwick's new England era will be tinged with an avuncular pastoral care that many found lacking in his authoritarian predecessor Eddie Jones.
"I'll coach this team my way," said Borthwick, fresh from signing a five-year deal as England’s new head coach. "I was asked a question in 2016, 'would you want your boys coached by you?' And that makes you think.
"Would you want your boys coached by you? In 2016, the answer to that question I could unequivocally say was no. But it made me think over a period of time, how would I want someone to coach my boys?
"I would want them to care for them and love them but also want them to demand from them and help get the best out of them.
"To push them, show how good they could be and how far they can go. At the same time to support them and when they have something go wrong, you help them and lift them up.
"Gradually over a period of time it has changed a bit so now when I ask myself the question, 'would I want my boys coached by me?' I say, 'yeah, sometimes'. I think I have improved. I will coach in an authentic way."
Borthwick jumped straight to work on Monday on planning England's Six Nations. The Cumbrian former captain is at the helm now because the RFU lost patience with Australian Jones, ending the 62-year-old's tenure prematurely.
England will never lack for heart under Borthwick, now the new boss just has to get the Test team’s head straight
Borthwick worked under Jones at first Japan then England, but this will not be Eddie Mk II. The ex-Saracens lock might in some quarters be expected to deliver a prosaic approach, but he insisted his tactics will be tailored to his players' strengths.
"I think you’ve got to play a game of rugby that suits the players you have," said Borthwick. "Whilst Leicester play a certain way there is another aspect to Leicester which isn’t often talked about.
"You’ve got to fight, compete for everything. Style of play is one thing, the way you go about it is another."
England have just nine Tests before the World Cup, with the Six Nations opening against Scotland at Twickenham on February 4. However complex England’s overall plan, Borthwick will not overload his players with information and ideas.
The former Bath second row toured New Zealand as a coach with the 2017 Lions and will take a leaf out of Warren Gatland's lengthy tome when it comes to shaping a Test team in double quick time.
"I really like helping people, I really care for the people I coach," he said. "I take a huge amount of joy in their happiness."
England will never lack for heart under Borthwick, now the new boss just has to get the Test team's head straight.
