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England finished fourth in the Six Nations table after a 29-16 defeat to Grand Slam champions Ireland in Dublin; Steve Borthwick’s team now have less than six months to prepare for the World Cup in France; “I’m excited about what these players can do for the World Cup”
Last updated: 19/03/23 10:04
Henry Slade was tackled by Bundee Aki of Ireland in England’s 29-16 Six Nations loss in Dublin.
England coach Steve Borthwick is “upbeat” about his side’s World Cup prospects despite a lackluster Six Nations campaign.
Borthwick’s team, who entered with a 29-16 defeat of Grand Slam champions Ireland, finished fourth in the table after registering two wins and three defeats for the third year running.
Although England’s performance in Dublin was a big improvement on the 53-10 mauling by France the previous week, there was little to indicate that they could be the main contenders for this autumn’s global tournament.
“We will discuss these Six Nations closely, take what lessons we have learned and be clear about the direction we will take,” Borthwick said.
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Ireland head coach Andy Farrell is delighted to have achieved the Grand Slam on home soil, while England player Steve Borthwick admitted his team had failed.
“The team is nowhere to be found and, when we judge teams that have used this four-year cycle well, that is not the position in England.
“I can’t do anything about the past. I want us to work hard to put England in the best possible position and I’m excited about what these players can do for the World Cup.”
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James Cole recaps the action of Ireland’s win over England
The former Leicester head coach, who replaced Eddie Jones in December, is relishing the prospect of having more time to work with his squad in the coming months.
He added: “We’ve got a few weeks to prepare [for the World Cup]. Players will then be conditioned for international rugby and know how we want to play.
Jamie George skips the second half with England down to 14 men
“It’s been five intense games and effectively you’ve had a week of major training sessions.
“I’m looking forward to having the opportunity to work with the players for a longer period of time. I think we’ve seen some growth here, but we’ll see more in that preparation period.”
England led for much of the first half in Dublin through the first two of three penalties by captain Owen Farrell, but suffered a setback just before the turnaround when Freddie Steward was sent off for a foul.
As the full-back turned sideways, his arm collided with the head of Ireland’s Hugo Keenan, who bent down to pick up the loose ball, and referee Jaco Peyper issued a red card.
Freddie Steward was shown a red card by referee Jaco Peyper before half time
Despite being a man down, England pushed the front side all the way, scoring a try through Jamie George before Ireland clinched a 29-16 success – and the cup.
Reflecting on Steward’s red card, Farrell admitted: “I was shocked to be honest. But it’s not up to us – we don’t make the rules, we don’t put them in place.
“We didn’t hear the referee’s process, we just had to accept it. The way he reacted after the red card was great.
“We fought for each other. Unfortunately we did not get the right side of the result, which is always a disappointment in the English shirt.”
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