What a difference a year makes!
It’s been exactly a year since the RFU felt forced to back Steve Borthwick after five successive defeats.
By the end of 2025, those questions about his future had been silenced as 11 wins in 12 Tests demonstrated England’s ability to end close matches and the team’s newfound depth.
A perfect autumn, finished runners-up in the Six Nations, a Test series win in Argentina without the British and Irish Lions, and a victory over the All Blacks, underlined England’s rise.
As England solidify their place as one of world rugby’s emerging powers, Borthwick looks back at the year that defined his vision, and looks ahead to 2026.
Six Nations rescued from devastation in Dublin
Although England currently appear to be in an advantageous position, the first few months of 2025 have inspired little confidence.
Borthwick’s side started the Six Nations in Dublin with a five-goal lead at half-time. They were trailing at the break, trailing 27-10 before two tries in the closing stages collected an incredible losing bonus point, but those tries ultimately put them ahead of Ireland and moved them into second place in the final table.
Week two brought a Houdini-like escape at Twickenham. France squandered several clear chances before Elliot Daly scored the winning goal to snatch victory.
Elliot Daly’s last try gives England a dramatic win over France
The third round was less convincing. Scotland dominated the territory, England’s passive tactics drew boos, and only Finn Russell’s conversion error saved them from defeat.
Italy came on in the fourth round, and although England ended up scoring seven tries, it was a much closer game than the scoreline suggested. For 43 minutes, the visitors traded blow for blow before a decisive three-try burst.
Despite their inconsistent form, England continued to find a way to victory and remained in the title race until the final matchday for the first time since 2020. France lifted the trophy, but Cardiff may be remembered as the birthplace of this new England team.
Borthwick’s attack slackened at the Principality Stadium, scoring 68 points against Wales. Debutant Henry Pollock added two tries, a fitting symbol of England’s transformation.
Depth excavated in Argentina
Borthwick had to survive England’s summer tour without a significant part of the squad, which had mounted an encouraging fightback from defeat in Dublin.
Andy Farrell has called up 13 English players to join the British and Irish Lions in Australia, from established heavyweights such as Maro Itoje, Tom Curry and Ellis Ngange to the less established likes of Finn Smith and Pollock.
That number increased to 15 by the end of the tour, as Farrell’s son Owen and Jamie George were drafted in as injury cover. This confusion was most evident when George left the England camp on the eve of the second Test against Argentina in San Juan and made the four-flight, 47-hour dash to Australia.
But far from getting in the way, Borthwick embraced the opportunity to bleed into the next generation, and England have reaped the benefits of his foresight ever since.
Guy Pepper, Tom Roebuck, Alex Coles, Finn Baxter and Joe Hayes, marshaled by fly-half George Ford, proved themselves fit for the Test arena as England won the series 2-0 against the Pumas, decisively laying the foundations for the coming autumn.
What makes the perfect fall pom squad different?
Fast forward to the autumn and England were in a very different position to the Six Nations, ready to combine the confidence from a strong Lions squad, a bolder attacking outlook and the depth built up from successful summer tours in Argentina and the United States.
Its depth has given rise to so-called “Pom Squads”, mirroring South Africa’s famous “Bomb Disposal Squads”. The tactic of keeping top players on the bench and then releasing them all at once in the second half was a tactic used by Borthwick’s England to great effect.
England’s Pom Squad will be in full swing this autumn
In the match against Australia, making five substitutions in the 51st minute made a big difference in the game. With the score slightly stable at 10-7, Pollock, Currie, Genge, Luke Cowan-Dickie and Will Stewart injected power. Pollock scored a great try within eight minutes and Cowan Dickie added another point in the second half.
A week later, England repeated the trick against Fiji. When the score was 21-18, Pollock, Currie, George, Baxter and Asher Opoku-Forjour all came on, followed by Henry Arundel and Itoje. George, Arundel and Itoje scored in the final quarter to seal the victory.
England did their best against the All Blacks, overturning a 12-0 deficit to win 33-19 at Twickenham. It was their first home win against New Zealand since 2012. Olly Lawrence’s return from injury was sensational, while Roebuck’s late try rounded out another strong finish.
Despite almost losing to Argentina, England improved their points to 11 Tests. With rising stars such as Pollock and Immanuel Fay-Waboso complementing the experienced leader, Borthwick is now leading the team at the perfect time for the 2027 Rugby World Cup.
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Sky Sports News’ James Cole analyzes England’s 27-23 win over Argentina.
Will there be a chance for a Grand Slam in 2026?
A victory over the All Blacks or an 11-game winning streak may be satisfying, but ultimately they are of little value unless they lead England to tangible success.
The next test of England’s progress in 2025 will be the Six Nations, when Borthwick and his players must aim for a Grand Slam.
If things go well this autumn, a resurgent England should arrive in Paris with four wins, with home games against Wales and Ireland (both at various stages of transition) and trips to Scotland and Italy on matchdays three and four coming up.
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Maro Itoje has his sights set on the 2027 World Cup and talks about his ambitions for England.
There is no shame in losing to France, but England must go into the match with their sights set on winning their first Grand Slam title in 10 years.
If they can accomplish that, their winning streak will extend to 16 games, two games shy of the record of 18 games set under coach Eddie Jones from October 2015 to March 2017.
The first Nations Championship begins with an acid rugby test, followed by a match against South Africa in South Africa that will serve as a measure of further progress.
The Springboks remain the dominant force in the sport, but England are also among the pack to follow closely. It remains to be seen how much or if they will be able to close that gap over the next 12 months.
