Borthwick: Question marks over leadership skills
People have their views. By accepting the England captaincy you necessarily accept that people are going to hold you responsible. That's life.
Steve Borthwick
Quotes of the week
England captain Steve Borthwick is not concerned about criticism of his leadership ahead of the RBS Six Nations.
Team manager Martin Johnson will name his final 32-man squad for the competition on Wednesday but has already confirmed his plan to stick with Borthwick as skipper, despite recent poor results.
England suffered defeats to Australia, South Africa and New Zealand during the autumn internationals, while notching just a solitary win against the Pacific Islanders.
Borthwick's role in those defeats - both his contribution in the second row and low-key leadership style - was the subject of heavy criticism from sections of the media and public.
"People have their views," Borthwick told Sky Sports News. "By accepting the England captaincy you necessarily accept that people are going to hold you responsible. That's life.
"Virtually every England captain has had it (criticism)... that applies across the board not just in rugby.
"Captains get criticised when things go poorly and praised when things go well.
"It's very easy to captain a team that's winning."
England take on Italy at Twickenham on February 7 in their Six Nations opener.

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| Time | Fixture |
|---|---|
| Guinness Premiership | |
| Friday 20th November | |
| Guinness Premiership | |
| 19:45 | Gloucester vs Leicester |
| 20:00 | Worcester vs Bath |
| Saturday 21st November | |
| 13:00 | Northampton vs Harlequins |
| Sunday 22nd November | |
| 15:00 | London Irish vs Newcastle |
| 15:00 | Saracens vs Wasps |
| 15:00 | Leeds Carnegie vs Sale |
| Friday 27th November | |
| 19:45 | Sale vs Wasps |
| 20:00 | Newcastle vs Northampton |
| 20:00 | Worcester vs Saracens |
| Saturday 28th November | |
| 15:00 | Harlequins vs Gloucester |
| 15:00 | Worcester vs Saracens |
| 15:00 | Leicester vs Leeds Carnegie |
| 17:35 | Bath vs London Irish |
| Saturday 5th December | |
| 15:00 | London Irish vs Worcester |
| 15:00 | Northampton vs Bath |
| 15:00 | Gloucester vs Newcastle |
| 17:35 | Saracens vs Sale |
| Sunday 6th December | |
| 15:00 | Wasps vs Leicester |
| 15:00 | Leeds Carnegie vs Harlequins |
| Saturday 26th December | |
| 14:15 | Bath vs Gloucester |
| 15:00 | Leicester vs Sale |
| 15:00 | Worcester vs Northampton |
| Sunday 27th December | |
| 15:00 | London Irish vs Saracens |
| 15:00 | Newcastle vs Leeds Carnegie |
| 16:00 | Harlequins vs Wasps |
| Result |
|---|
| Guinness Premiership |
| Sunday 1st November |
| Guinness Premiership |
| Newcastle 14 - 3 Worcester |
| Wasps 9 - 15 Leeds Carnegie |
| Saturday 31st October |
| Leicester 29 - 15 Northampton |
| Harlequins 9 - 9 London Irish |
| Bath 11 - 12 Saracens |
| Friday 30th October |
| Sale 28 - 23 Gloucester |
| Sunday 25th October |
| Saracens 21 - 15 Leeds Carnegie |
| Saturday 24th October |
| Gloucester 6 - 35 Wasps |
| London Irish 18 - 12 Leicester |
| Northampton 21 - 16 Sale |
| Worcester 22 - 26 Harlequins |
| Bath 16 - 27 Newcastle |
| Sunday 4th October |
| Leeds Carnegie 10 - 26 Gloucester |
| Wasps 20 - 15 Northampton |
| Newcastle 15 - 22 Saracens |
| Saturday 3rd October |
| Harlequins 13 - 11 Bath |
| Leicester 19 - 14 Worcester |
| Friday 2nd October |
| Sale 8 - 11 London Irish |
| Sunday 27th September |
| Saracens 19 - 16 Gloucester |
| London Irish 28 - 16 Wasps |
| Saturday 26th September |
| Bath 20 - 20 Leicester |
| Worcester 24 - 18 Sale |
| Northampton 30 - 10 Leeds Carnegie |
| Friday 25th September |
| Newcastle 17 - 17 Harlequins |
| Sunday 20th September |
| Wasps 23 - 3 Worcester |
Jonny Wilkinson told The Rugby Club he hopes to play with new-found freedom against Australia on Saturday.
Aussie Matt Giteau tells Rugby Club that he is keen to avoid a repeat of his first Twickenham outing.
Back Nikolai Valuev, Didier Drogba and Jonny Wilkinson this weekend, says Ed Chamberlin.
Cardiff Blues won their LV= Cup clash against Gloucester thanks to a last-gasp penalty from Ceri Sweeney at Kingsholm.
Dan Carter's disciplinary hearing has been put back to Tuesday at the request of the New Zealand team management.
Harlequins and Scarlets shared the spoils following a tremendous battle in their LV= clash at the Twickenham Stoop.
Wasps withstood some late pressure to earn a hard-fought 24-20 LV= Cup triumph over London Irish.
Joe Ford scored 18 points to help Leeds record a 28-17 triumph in their LV= Cup clash with Leicester at Headingley.
Comments (3)
Gareth Rackley says...
Haskell should be captain. Englands second row should be Shaw and Kennedy. Haskell has the arrogance and bloody-mindedness of Dallaglio and that attitude would be infectious within the squad, he could also do the job for the next 2 world-cups like Carling. He is genuinely world class and has proved this.
Posted 20:39 13th January 2009
Max Ward says...
Its all well and good naming Borthwick as captain, but based on recent form, I cannot see him making the England starting XV. Simon Shaw and Nick Kennedy would complement each other in the second row very well, so I can only see Borthwick as the bench warmer! I thing Lewis Moody should lead England in the 6 Nations - which is hard for me to say for I am a Northampton Saints supporter. He leads by example and thats what england need.
Posted 19:59 13th January 2009
Zena Beck says...
i suppose he will be the best since slice bread if england win a match give the man and team a chance
Posted 15:21 13th January 2009