England vs Italy: Borthwick Makes 12 Changes After Six Nations Disappointment

Steve Borthwick has dramatically reshaped his England squad, making a historic 12 changes for Saturday’s Six Nations clash with Italy in Rome. The sweeping overhaul, spurred by what Borthwick described as a failure to meet “unwavering standards” in recent performances, represents the most significant team alteration by an England coach during the Six Nations era.

Nine of those changes are personnel shifts, with an additional three positional adjustments. This surpasses the previous record of eight changes made by Brian Ashton in 2007, signaling a clear message to underperforming players. Borthwick’s decision follows disappointing results against Scotland and Ireland, where England failed to live up to expectations.

Only three forwards – Ellis Genge, Joe Heyes, and captain Maro Itoje – retain their starting positions from the 42-21 defeat to Ireland. Jamie George replaces Luke Cowan-Dickie at hooker, while Alex Coles steps in for Ollie Chessum in the second row. In the back row, Tom Curry moves from blind-side to open-side flanker to accommodate the return of Guy Pepper at No. 6, and Ben Earl shifts to No. 8, replacing Henry Pollock.

The most radical changes are evident in the backline, which has been entirely revamped. Tommy Freeman is the sole survivor from the Ireland game, but he moves from the wing to outside-centre. Ben Spencer and Fin Smith form the new half-back partnership, with Seb Atkinson set to make his Six Nations debut at inside-centre. The wings will be occupied by Cadan Murley and Tom Roebuck, while Elliot Daly takes over at full-back.

The list of players dropped from the squad is extensive, including Cowan-Dickie, Chessum, Pollock, George Ford, Fraser Dingwall, Henry Arundell, and Freddie Steward. Injuries to Alex Mitchell (hamstring) and Ollie Lawrence (knee) have also contributed to the changes, but Borthwick’s decisions extend beyond simply filling those gaps.

Borthwick was unequivocal in his assessment of the recent performances, stating, “I say to the team that we have certain standards and I am going to hold them to those standards. There are certain things that, to me, are unwavering, things that I will not move upon. Unfortunately, in the last two games, on certain things, we’ve not met those standards.” He added that both he and the players had been “really disappointed” with the performances, which had fallen short of the required level.

The head coach emphasized that he directly challenged the team following the defeat to Ireland, addressing the shortcomings and demanding improvement. “Clearly, in the last two weeks there are some key aspects of things that weren’t good enough,” Borthwick said. “Those have been addressed.”

Borthwick highlighted a demand for increased physical intensity, noting that England had been dominated in that area by both Scotland, and Ireland. He stressed the importance of drawing a line under the previous performances and focusing on the challenge ahead against Italy.

The selection of Daly at full-back was attributed to his experience (74 caps) and his left-footed kicking ability. Atkinson’s inclusion was based on his ball-carrying power, defensive prowess, and overall precision – qualities that England have lacked in recent matches. Borthwick revealed that he had intended to select Atkinson last autumn but the player suffered knee and hip injuries.

Interestingly, Borthwick noted that the selected backline largely mirrors the team that has been training against the starting side in recent weeks, with Freeman being the primary exception. The coach expressed confidence in the talent within the squad, stating, “This proves an exciting team, a team full of a lot of talent. These players have earned their selection.”

The changes represent a significant gamble for Borthwick, but one he clearly felt was necessary to address the issues that have plagued England’s Six Nations campaign thus far. The match against Italy will be a crucial test of whether the revamped squad can deliver the improved performance he demands.

Italy v England

Guinness Six Nations
Stadio Olimpico
Saturday, 4.40pm
TV ITV