Steve Borthwick masterminds England rebirth to flip narrative in near-flawless 2025
Steve Borthwick’s England comeback from crisis 2024 to silence doubters; An 11 Test winning streak, a Six Nations runner‑up spot, series victory in Argentina, and flawless autumn - capped by beating the All Blacks - underscores England's re-emergence as a force in world rugby
Monday 24 November 2025 14:42, UK
What a difference a year makes.
Just a year has passed since the RFU felt compelled to back Steve Borthwick following five straight defeats.
By the end of 2025, those questions over his future had been silenced as 11 wins in 12 Tests showcased England's ability to close out tight games and new-found squad depth.
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A second‑place Six Nations finish, a Test series victory in Argentina without senior British and Irish Lions, and a flawless autumn capped by victory over the All Blacks underscored England's rise.
With England cementing their status as one of world rugby's emerging powers, we look back on a year where Borthwick's vision was defined - and ahead to what 2026 may hold.
Six Nations salvaged after Dublin drubbing
For all that England now look in a commanding position, the opening months of 2025 hardly inspired confidence.
Borthwick's men began their Six Nations in Dublin, where a five‑point half‑time lead unravelled. Outplayed after the break, they trailed 27-10 until two late tries salvaged a scarcely believable losing bonus point - one that ultimately lifted them above Ireland into second place in the final table.
Week two brought a Houdini‑like escape at Twickenham. France squandered several gilt‑edged chances before Elliot Daly struck at the death to snatch victory.
Round three was far less convincing: Scotland dominated territory, England's negative tactics drew boos, and only Finn Russell's missed conversion spared them defeat.
Italy arrived in round four, and though England eventually ran in seven tries, the contest was far tighter than the scoreline suggested. For 43 minutes the visitors matched them blow for blow before a decisive three‑try burst.
Despite uneven form, England kept finding ways to win, remaining in the title race until the final round for the first time since 2020. France claimed the trophy, but Cardiff may yet be remembered as the birth of this new England side.
At the Principality Stadium, Borthwick's charges cut loose, running in 68 points against Wales. Debutant Henry Pollock added two tries, a fitting symbol of England's transformation.
Depth unearthed in Argentina
Borthwick had to navigate England's summer tours without a sizeable portion of the squad that had mounted the encouraging fightback from defeat in Dublin.
From established stalwarts such as Maro Itoje, Tom Curry and Ellis Genge to the less‑established Fin Smith and Pollock, Andy Farrell called on 13 England players to join his British and Irish Lions in Australia.
By the end of the tour, that number had risen to 15 after Farrell's son, Owen, and Jamie George were drafted in as injury cover. The disruption was best illustrated when George left the England camp on the eve of the second Test against Argentina in San Juan to undertake a four‑flight, 47‑hour dash to Australia.
But far from being a hindrance, Borthwick embraced the chance to blood the next generation, with England reaping the rewards of his foresight ever since.
Marshalled by fly‑half George Ford, the likes of Guy Pepper, Tom Roebuck, Alex Coles, Fin Baxter, and Joe Heyes proved themselves fit for the Test arena as England clinched a 2-0 series victory over the Pumas - crucially laying the foundations for the autumn to come.
Pom Squad point of difference in perfect autumn
Fast forward to the autumn, and England were in a vastly different place compared to the Six Nations, ready to combine confidence from strong Lions representation, a bolder attacking outlook, and the depth built on their successful summer tour of Argentina and the United States.
That depth produced the so‑called "Pom squad," echoing South Africa's famed "bomb squad." The tactic - holding back top players on the bench before unleashing them en masse in the second half - was one Borthwick's England employed to great effect.
Against Australia, five changes in the 51st minute swung the match. With the score delicately poised at 10-7, Pollock, Curry, Genge, Luke Cowan‑Dickie, and Will Stuart injected power. Within eight minutes Pollock crossed for a superb try, and Cowan‑Dickie added another late on.
A week later, England repeated the trick against Fiji. With the score 21-18, Pollock, Curry, George, Baxter, and Asher Opoku‑Fordjour entered together, followed by Henry Arundell and Itoje. In the final quarter, George, Arundell, and Itoje all scored to seal victory.
England saved their best for the All Blacks, overturning a 12-0 deficit to win 33-19 at Twickenham - their first triumph over New Zealand at home since 2012. Ollie Lawrence's return from injury was sensational, while Roebuck's late try capped another strong finish.
Though nearly undone by Argentina, England extended their winning run to 11 Tests. With rising stars like Pollock and Immanuel Feyi‑Waboso complementing seasoned leaders, Borthwick now commands a squad peaking at the right time for the 2027 Rugby World Cup.
Grand Slam opportunity knocks in 2026?
As satisfying as victory over the All Blacks and an 11‑game winning streak may be, they will ultimately count for little unless they propel England to tangible success.
The next test of England's 2025 progress comes in the Six Nations, where Borthwick and his players must target a Grand Slam.
With home fixtures against Wales and Ireland - both sides in varying stages of transition - and trips to Scotland and Italy in rounds three and four, this resurgent England should arrive in Paris with four wins in the bank, if this autumn is anything to go by.
There would be no shame in losing to France but England must arrive at the game with the prospect of securing a first Grand Slam in a decade still on the table.
Were they to achieve that, it would extend their winning run to 16 games, just two shy of the record 18 set under Eddie Jones between October 2015 and March 2017.
The inaugural Nations Championship offers an additional measure of progress, beginning with rugby's acid test: against South Africa, in South Africa.
The Springboks remain the sport's dominant force, but England are firmly among the chasing pack. How much they can close that gap - or whether they can at all - over the next 12 months remains to be seen.
