Steve Borthwick has ripped up his team for Saturday’s Guinness Six Nations clash with Italy after admitting England’s performances against Scotland and Ireland fell below the required standard.
Reacting to the 42-21 rout at home by Andy Farrell’s men in round three, Borthwick has made nine changes in personnel and three positional switches for the visit to Rome.
It is the most changes ever made by England in the Six Nations era and includes an entirely new back-line that will be directed by fly-half Fin Smith, who wins his first start since the autumn at the expense of axed veteran George Ford.
Ready for Rome 🌹
— England Rugby (@EnglandRugby) March 3, 2026
Head coach Steve Borthwick has named his match day squad to face Italy this Saturday.
@O2 | #WearTheRose
Behind the scrum Tommy Freeman is the only survivor from the defeat that came a week after England’s collapse at Murrayfield but he is moved from wing to outside centre, forming a midfield partnership with Seb Atkinson.
Borthwick’s hand is partly forced by injuries to Alex Mitchell and Ollie Lawrence and he stressed that selection was based on a blend of recent displays, Italy’s threats, rotation in the forwards and what he has seen in training.
But the head coach also made clear that by gutting the starting XV, he was firing a warning shot in response to the dramatic end to England’s title ambitions.
“All of us have been really disappointed with the performances in the last two games,” Borthwick said.
“Clearly there are some key aspects that weren’t good enough. Those have been addressed.
“I say to the team that we have certain standards and I’m going to hold them to those standards. There are certain things that, to me, are unwavering. Things that I will not move upon.
“Unfortunately, in the last two games, on certain things, we’ve not met those standards. We want an improved performance and result this weekend.”
None of the units in the back-line have previously played a Test together but Borthwick says they have developed familiarity on the training field throughout the Six Nations.
Adding experience to the spine of the team are returning hooker Jamie George and full-back Elliot Daly.
Borthwick and his players spent time with Thomas Tuchel on Tuesday after the manager of the national football team visited England’s Surrey training base.
While he did not have the opportunity to speak to Tuchel about the pressures of managing an England side, he has had conversations with the German’s predecessor Gareth Southgate and his cricketing counterpart Brendon McCullum.
Borthwick, whose regime is under scrutiny following recent results, said: “Expectation comes with the territory when you’re involved with English sport. I’d much rather be involved with the team with expectation than the one without.
“With Gareth Southgate and with Brendon McCullum I’ve certainly talked about the approach to those expectations and how they’ve dealt with it.
“We live in a society now where there are these extremes, there is this polarity. I can’t do anything about what’s outside, but what I can do is about what’s inside.
“Which is, let’s concentrate on what the main thing is, let’s keep that. There’s all this stuff trying to pull you one way or the other, but we’ll stay on the main thing.”
What England’s radical selection against Italy says about their Six Nations campaign
Underdogs Wales ready to ‘have a go’ at rampant Ireland
Steve Borthwick rips up England side to face Italy as Fin Smith starts at fly-half
Meet Seb Atkinson, England’s new Six Nations centre and the fittest man in rugby?
Former England star Anthony Watson says he cheated HIA to play Lions Test
England turn to Olympic skeleton star Matt Weston in bid to stop Six Nations slide
