Steve Borthwick says he and his players are also feeling “the hurt and pain” caused by England’s losing streak but has sidestepped questions about his job security if his team are beaten by Fiji on Saturday. The head coach has not tasted victory since early February and will come under significant external pressure should his side slip to a sixth successive Test defeat at Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Many England supporters were disappointed with the way Borthwick’s team started and finished last Saturday’s 45-21 defeat to South Africa in Johannesburg, with the Springboks racing away to an early 17-0 lead before piling on the misery late on after England lost two players to avoidable yellow cards. If they were to suffer a similar fate to a Fiji side beaten 39-24 by Wales last Saturday the howls of frustration would become deafening.
