Borthwick urges young squad 'not to stay in shadows'

Head coach Steve Borthwick has urged his young England players not to “stay successful nan shadows” arsenic they look to make history this summer.

Borthwick has named a 36-man squad for nan circuit of Japan and New Zealand.

But while location is an knowledgeable halfway successful nan forwards, location is simply a greenish look to nan backline pinch a fistful of large names retired aliases injured.

“Sometimes nan champion point you tin do is jump correct in”, Borthwick said.

In a wide-ranging question and reply connected nan Rugby Union Weekly podcast, Borthwick added: “I don’t want players successful nan shadows. I don’t want players reasoning of not making a mistake. I want them coming connected nan transportation and trying to win, bringing their constituent of difference.”

Since nan Six Nations, headdress centurion Danny Care has retired from world duty, while Manu Tuilagi, pinch 60 caps, is now unavailable having opted to motion for French broadside Bayonne.

96-cap alert half George Ford and nan 66-cap Elliot Daly are some injured, leaving Henry Slade arsenic nan astir knowledgeable back, pinch 62 appearances, and Marcus Smith nan 2nd astir pinch conscionable 32.

But Borthwick has picked six backs from nan champions Northampton including nan uncapped Ollie Sleightholme, while Sale’s uncapped but in-form duo of Tom Roebuck and Joe Carpenter are besides included.

“We do person areas of nan squad wherever we don’t person a batch of caps,” Borthwick explained.

“But we do person immoderate awesome players. Guys who person been playing successful a reliable Premiership title and are match-hardened and fresh to go.

“Several of who were playing successful nan Premiership last successful what was astir arsenic adjacent to a Test lucifer ambiance arsenic you tin get successful nine rugby.

“Those experiences tin beryllium transferable consecutive into nan Test lucifer arena. And that’s what I will beryllium looking to do pinch this group of players.”

Borthwick revealed that nan Premiership finalists had joined nan campy early connected Monday to commencement their recovery, calling this a "really affirmative sign” - pinch regards to their mindset.

Meanwhile, nan England leader admitted his main situation would beryllium to get nan broadside to prime up wherever they near disconnected astatine nan extremity of nan Six Nations.

After a third-placed decorativeness astatine nan World Cup, England evolved their onslaught done nan 2024 Championship, culminating successful a conclusion of Ireland and a constrictive nonaccomplishment to France successful Lyon.

“Every squad has breakthroughs, and we want to build connected those foundations,” Borthwick said.

“As you spot nan squad evolving you spot an England squad that has pace, footwork and dynamism successful it. Those are nan attributes we want to usage successful nan measurement we play. Tactically smart and bringing each their talent and points of quality connected to nan pitch.

“Picking up from wherever it near off, that’s a existent challenge. I’ve gone connected grounds talking astir consistency of action and cohesion and partnerships, and players that person played together a lot, which comes from nan nine crippled because you conscionable don’t person clip to get it astatine world level.”

With England greats Owen Farrell and Ford unavailable, this summertime will spot a generational displacement astatine fly-half pinch Marcus and Fin Smith successful a shootout to beryllium England’s starting 10.

“The talent they person is extraordinary. Marcus has looked truthful crisp successful training, arsenic crisp arsenic I’ve ever seen him,” Borthwick said.

“With Fin, I met him astatine a edifice reception erstwhile I had conscionable taken this job, and nan hunger and desire to compete astatine nan highest level conscionable oozed retired of him from that first meeting.

“To person 2 fly-halves pinch that level of talent, pinch some arsenic quiet arsenic they are is brilliant. I’m really looking guardant to moving pinch them.”

While a swathe of acquisition has been mislaid from nan squad, Borthwick has been capable to invited backmost established flanker Tom Curry, who made his long-awaited wounded return successful Sale’s semi-final conclusion by Bath.

Curry’s nine leader Alex Sanderson had warned astir nan risks of taking nan subordinate connected circuit fixed his chronic hep injury, but Borthwick said each aesculapian reports - arsenic good arsenic Curry’s ain grounds - made his action a straightforward one.

“Our aesculapian squad and Sale’s aesculapian squad person been liaising really closely, to understand conscionable really Tom is progressing,” Borthwick explained.

“In that semi-final, his effect was extraordinary, and past watching him successful training past week, he was energetic, refreshed, accelerated and powerful. That’s really he was past week.

“I’ve sewage nan aesculapian reports saying he is bully to spell but much important were my conversations pinch him.

“I spot a man and perceive a man who is hopeless to beryllium portion of nan team. No hesitation successful naming him successful nan squad.”

Borthwick’s broadside look Japan successful Tokyo connected 22 June successful a conflict pinch erstwhile England leader Eddie Jones, earlier Tests pinch nan All Blacks successful Dunedin connected 6th July and astatine Eden Park successful Auckland a week later.

No England broadside has won a Test successful New Zealand since nan World Cup winning group of 2003, while nary visiting broadside has won astatine Eden Park since France successful 1994. The past England squad to triumph astatine nan belief location of All Blacks rugby was successful 1973.

“We are playing successful these iconic areas against formidable opposition. With that, if you attack this successful nan correct way, and person nan mindset that we are going to beryllium fierce successful really we play, past you tin person immoderate superb memories,” Borthwick said.

“The cups, you person to springiness them back. The memories are what you have, nan moments afterwards successful nan changing room.

“What I really want for this young squad is to person superb memories of their clip successful this shirt. And what a situation we’ve sewage complete nan adjacent fewer weeks successful Japan and New Zealand.”