England head coach Steve Borthwick has expressed his disappointment and surprise at the unexpected departures of Aled Walters and Felix Jones from his coaching staff. Walters, the head of strength and conditioning, left for a similar role with Ireland in August, while Jones, England’s defence coach, also resigned. Despite the departures, Borthwick remains confident in his new group of assistants.
Walters has not yet been replaced after Premiership clubs blocked England’s attempt to bring in Phil Morrow from Saracens due to concerns about a conflict of interest. With skills coach Kevin Sinfield reducing his role and Joe El-Abd handling defensive duties on a temporary basis, England’s coaching staff has been reshaped. The team now comprises attack coach Richard Wigglesworth, scrum coach Tom Harrison, and coaching advisor Andrew Strawbridge.
As England prepares for upcoming Tests against top teams like New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, and Japan, Borthwick remains focused on moving forward with his current coaching team. While acknowledging the surprise of Walters and Jones’s decisions to leave, Borthwick emphasised his respect for their choices and expressed gratitude for the new opportunities it has presented, such as Joe El-Abd stepping in quickly.
Despite setbacks in securing Morrow due to his contractual obligations with Saracens, Borthwick is optimistic about resolving the situation in the future. He hopes to finalise arrangements for Morrow to join the coaching staff post the upcoming Autumn Nations Series. England’s preparations for the upcoming fixtures involve a training camp in Girona after assembling at Pennyhill Park on Monday.
Borthwick emphasised the importance of focusing on the immediate task at hand, the autumn series, while keeping the potential addition of Morrow in mind for the future. As England faces challenges in restructuring its coaching staff, Borthwick remains determined to find solutions and ensure a smooth transition towards the upcoming fixtures.