Eddie Jones clears out red-rose coaching staff ahead of Six Nations
EXCLUSIVE: Steve Borthwick will look after the forwards
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.England will have an entirely new coaching line-up under Eddie Jones for the Six Nations Championship, with the departed Stuart Lancaster’s three assistants, Graham Rowntree, Andy Farrell and Mike Catt, all leaving their roles.
Steve Borthwick, the former England captain and lock now coaching at Championship leaders Bristol, will join his former Japan colleague Jones to look after the forwards, although Bristol were understood to be hoping for a job share for the rest of the season.
England gather their squad for training at the end of January through to the Six Nations’ closing matches in the third week of March, after which Borthwick could in theory help complete Bristol’s push for promotion.
Saracens’ Paul Gustard, the former flanker who began his coaching career under Jones while the Australian was at Saracens in the 2008-09 season, will be England’s new defence coach.
Catt’s role was as attacking skills coach and it is thought there may be one more assistant’s role to be filled in Jones’s backroom staff.
It is understood that the existing coaches’ severance terms would be paid up to the end of their one-year rolling contracts in the summer, even though they signed deals up to the 2019 World Cup.
Bristol director of rugby Andy Robinson said on Friday night that it is “far from a done deal” for Borthwick to join England in Jones’s new set-up, but there is no doubt that the RFU will get their man.
Rowntree, a former Leicester and England prop, has seen his reputation as a world-class technical coach dip a little since England’s set-piece problems at the World Cup. But his expected departure owes as much to Jones’s desire to work with people he knows.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments