England need dramatic turnaround to avoid worst Six Nations run

LONDON: England will take the field in Paris on Saturday facing the prospect of their worst Six Nations campaign in years, as they prepare to meet France in the tournament finale.

Despite a disappointing run of performances, history suggests England are capable of producing a surprise and spoiling France’s title ambitions.

Head coach Steve Borthwick’s three-year tenure has been marked by sharp highs and lows. Periods of optimism have often been followed by disappointing results, leaving fans and pundits divided over England’s direction.

In August 2023, England lost warm-up matches against Wales, Ireland and Fiji before the Rugby World Cup, entering the tournament with low expectations.

However, they stunned higher-ranked Argentina in their opening match in Marseille, winning 27-10 despite losing Tom Curry to a third-minute red card, with George Ford’s kicking proving decisive.

Borthwick’s pragmatic and statistics-driven approach carried England deep into the tournament. They came within two minutes of defeating eventual champions South Africa in the semi-finals and eventually finished third.

England followed that with a respectable Six Nations campaign, but a narrow 33-31 defeat to France in their final match began a difficult period. They went on to lose seven consecutive matches against Tier One nations, including four defeats to New Zealand and South Africa.

The streak ended with a dramatic last-minute victory over France in the 2025 Six Nations. England then won 11 matches in a row, highlighted by their first home victory over New Zealand since 2012.

That momentum raised hopes of England winning their first Six Nations title since 2020. They began the current tournament strongly by dismantling Wales.

However, their form quickly collapsed.

England lost 31-20 to Scotland before suffering a heavy 42-21 defeat to Ireland at home. The problems deepened with a historic loss to Italy in Rome, despite England leading 18-10 with just 20 minutes remaining while the hosts were down to 14 players.

If England lose again on Saturday, it would mark their first four-game losing streak in the Six Nations since the championship expanded in 2000.

The manner of their defeats has also raised alarm. England’s attacking style during their earlier winning run has disappeared, replaced by a more conservative “kick-and-hope” approach associated with Borthwick’s early tenure.

Statistics underline the struggles. England have kicked the ball from hand more than any other team in the tournament but have often failed to regain possession.

They have also wasted repeated opportunities inside the opposition’s 22-metre area, committing numerous handling errors and receiving eight yellow cards during the competition.

Defensively, the problems are equally serious. England have missed 18 tackles in wide areas over the last three matches, leading to tries or major breaks — significantly more than Scotland, Ireland or France.

Despite the criticism, Borthwick insists he wants his team to play an attacking brand of rugby.

“I want the players to play fast rugby, I want the ball to move, I want them to be brave,” he said this week.

Still, England will face a formidable challenge against France in Paris, where the hosts will be chasing the championship title. Yet given England’s unpredictable form under Borthwick, another dramatic twist cannot be ruled out.