Kevin Sinfield says Leicester boss Steve Borthwick is as good a coach as he has come across in all his time in rugby.
Borthwick, widely seen as heir apparent to Eddie Jones’ England throne 18 months from now, takes Tigers to Twickenham to face his former club Saracens in Saturday’s Premiership Final.
He does so having transformed the fortunes of England’s biggest rugby club this season from also-rans to top dogs.
Working alongside him is rugby league legend Sinfield and Leicester’s defence coach is in no doubt to whom the praise is due.
“Steve won’t want to take any credit for the turnaround at all but he should,” said Sinfield. “Without him it wouldn’t have happened.
“He’s one of the best leaders I’ve worked with, if not the best. He’s driven, he’s smart and probably the biggest compliment I can pay him is he cares. A lot. About the players, the staff, the people around Leicester.
“To find somebody with all those attributes rolled into one is unique. I came here to work with him.”
Sinfield, 41, insists Borthwick, named Premiership Rugby's team boss of the year, is “destined for great things”. Whether that mean England he will not say.
“All I’ll say is I’ve been in and around a number of international environments, albeit in the other code, and he’s as good as I’ve seen," said the Leeds Rhinos great.
Borthwick puts much of his success at Leicester down to being “surrounded by people who know a lot more than me”.
He explained: “I’m not afraid to surround myself with people who have more knowledge in areas than I do and to pick their brains.”
One of those in Sinfield, who has made a huge impression on a team which made history by topping the table after every round of the regular season.
But he deflects any praise, saying, “I’m still learning, finding every day a challenge. Still very much uncomfortable and at times a little bit exposed.
"But I feel I’m growing and getting better. I don’t think I could have come to a better club.”
