Six Nations 2026: Eddie Jones blames Steve Borthwick's 'title-decider' comments for England slump

England's dramatic collapse in the Guinness Six Nations has seen their title hopes seemingly ended with two rounds to spare, but how have things gone wrong so quickly?

Was Borthwick overconfident?

Before the tournament, England coach Steve Borthwick set his sights on reaching a Round 5 title decider against France.

"On March 14 in Paris, we want to be in a position entering that game where we can achieve what we're all aiming to achieve," he said in January.

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"We want England fans flooding across the Channel to Paris to watch the team in a massive encounter in the final round with the opportunity to achieve what we want."

But successive, heavy defeats to Scotland and Ireland have shattered those ambitions and left England fighting to avoid their lowest‑ever Six Nations finish.

Borthwick looked virtually untouchable a fortnight ago after masterminding a victorious calendar year in 2025, but now his position has come under fresh scrutiny.

Jones questions Borthwick's mindset

Eddie Jones has criticised Borthwick's decision to speak publicly about a potential title decider before the tournament had even begun.

"I'll go back to the start of the Six Nations. I thought Steve made some very uncharacteristic comments about a title‑decider against France, looking ahead," Jones told the Rugby Unity podcast.

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"Steve is the most pragmatic and intelligent coach you could meet, but to look ahead for any team is fraught with danger."

Jones suggested pressure from above in the Rugby Football Union may have influenced Borthwick's uncharacteristically bullish tone.

"The union wants to entice the fans because they're all hungry for money. So be bold, come out - someone has told him to do that.

"The players read everything… they hear that and they say, 'We've got to get our tickets for France. Where are we staying? Where are we going to go the night before for dinner?'

"All of that happens, and the slight psychological change you get in the team because of that means they start to look ahead."

With trips to face an improved Italy and Grand Slam‑chasing France still to come, England need a response. Lose to the Azzurri for the first time, or slump to their lowest‑ever finish, and questions over the longevity of the Borthwick project will only intensify.

England's winning streak reassessed

Resounding back‑to‑back defeats by Scotland and Ireland have not only exposed England's title aspirations but shaken the foundations of this perceived revival under Borthwick.

Evaluations of the 12‑Test winning run that ended at Murrayfield are now being revisited, with a growing sense the run may have offered a misleading picture of England's progress.

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With victories over France, Australia and New Zealand all secured at their Allianz Stadium home, South Africa and Ireland not faced during that streak, and the only notable away wins coming on their tour of Argentina, did England get ahead of themselves?

Ford fighting for fly‑half future?

Few players emerged from the wreckage at Twickenham with their reputations intact, and George Ford was not one of them.

The 32‑year‑old failed to find touch with two penalties early in the match when England were still in contention and then drew derision and sarcastic cheers from fans when he eventually booted the ball into the stands.

When combined with a predictable and ineffective kicking strategy that plagued England against Scotland and Ireland, Ford's previously untouchable status as Borthwick's first‑choice fly‑half has come under scrutiny.

Marcus Smith needed only minutes to eclipse Ford's impact, sending Fraser Dingwall over for what looked like a lifeline on the stroke of half‑time.

And with Fin Smith waiting patiently in the wings, calls to shake up England's backline by restoring the Northampton fly‑half to the starting XV have grown increasingly loud.

Borthwick's loyalty tested

So many facets of England's game were abject that the post‑mortem will be a harrowing process, with the misfire explicable only by the team's psychology entering the match.

Head coach Borthwick responded to the Calcutta Cup debacle by stressing the importance of backing those who had underperformed.

But his loyalty to the likes of Luke Cowan‑Dickie, Freddie Steward and Henry Arundell has been significantly tested, and in some cases may now have run out.

His team selection against Italy in Round 4 will give a fascinating insight into the course of action Borthwick takes next. Will he stick and stay loyal, or twist and shake things up?