England's Six Nations Agony: Borthwick Admits Team Are 'Hurting' After Historic Low
England head coach Steve Borthwick has openly confessed that his squad is "hurting" following their worst ever Six Nations campaign, which concluded with a dramatic 48-46 defeat to France in Paris. The loss, sealed by a Thomas Ramos penalty in chaotic overtime, saw England finish in fifth place with only a single victory throughout the tournament.
A Glimmer of Hope in Paris Ends in Despair
Despite producing their most impressive performance of the competition, England's spirited display ultimately resulted in a fourth consecutive loss. The team ignited with six tries, including a late score from Tommy Freeman, but were denied by Ramos's decisive kick. Borthwick acknowledged the paradox of playing their best rugby yet registering such a poor overall finish.
"I'm really proud of the way the players played, but ultimately we're gutted that we went into the tournament with such high expectations and aspirations and we've not been able to meet those targets," Borthwick stated. "It's been a painful tournament and we're all hurting. I know the supporters are hurting as well."
Controversial Officiating Adds to Frustration
The match was marred by contentious refereeing decisions that Borthwick plans to challenge with World Rugby. A key moment saw Ellis Genge sin-binned in first-half injury time, leading to a penalty try for France that reduced England's 10-point lead. Borthwick described the decision as harsh and confusing.
Further controversy arose when England believed they had penalty advantage during an attack, only for the TMO to overturn it to a knock-on advantage without the players' knowledge. France capitalised, scoring through Louis Bielle-Biarrey's try in the 66th minute. "World Rugby needs to look at that kind of situation because you can't have the players playing with certain knowledge and then it being taken away from them," Borthwick argued.
Future Under Scrutiny Amid Determination
With England recording just one win—against Wales in the opening round—for the first time in Six Nations history, Borthwick now faces a Rugby Football Union review of the tournament. However, the spirited performance against France may have secured him some breathing space.
"I believe I'm the right man to lead the team going forward," Borthwick asserted, emphasising a collective determination to learn from the disappointment. "There's a sense of determination to make sure that this hurt makes the team stronger in the future."
The immediate aftermath, however, is one of profound disappointment for a team and its supporters who entered the championship with lofty ambitions, only to exit with historic underachievement.
