England coach Steve Borthwick leads his side into Saturday’s match against world champions South Africa at Twickenham in desperate need of a win as he bids to end a four-game losing streak.
The Rugby Football Union insist the former England captain retains their “100 percent support” ahead of the side’s first match against South Africa since the Springboks’ dramatic 16-15 World Cup semi-final win in France last year.
That was the first of several narrow England losses under Borthwick, whose side launched their November campaign with last-gasp 24-22 and 42-37 Twickenham defeats by New Zealand and Australia respectively.
“When you lose two games, even if it’s by a point or last-minute try, the pressure does start to build,” said South Africa supremo Rassie Erasmus.
“I’ve been there and certainly know how quickly that can get to you. Now Steve is a bit under pressure. It depends on your CEO (chief executive officer) –- they can make you feel like you have got a gun against your head.”
Will Carling, a former England captain, and 2003 World Cup-winning coach Clive Woodward have both questioned Borthwick’s methods after his side lost to Australia despite leading 37-35 with 83 minutes played.
‘Brilliant challenge’
Nevertheless, Borthwick — who has a modest record of 13 wins in 26 Test since succeeding mentor Eddie Jones as England boss — insisted Thursday: “When you are coaching England, there are always things on the outside. It is one of my strengths that I just focus and compartmentalise pretty well.
“My job is to coach this team, I love coaching this team, I am loyal to this group of players, and we’ve got to do things better than what we have.
“We are frustrated we haven’t got wins, we intend to get wins, and it’s a brilliant challenge for us this weekend.”
Borthwick has made four changes to his starting 15 against Australia, notably recalling full-back Freddie Steward — renowned for his ability under the high ball.
“The team that kicks more contestable kicks than anybody in the world is South Africa,” said Borthwick, adding: “That means that anyone who has strengths in that area is going to be very important in this game.”
England flanker Tom Curry’s head injury has ruled him out after the fallout from last year’s semi-final was dominated by his uncorroborated accusation that South Africa’s Bongi Mbonambi had uttered a racial slur at him.
Such is South Africa’s strength in depth they have made 12 changes to the 15 that started last weekend’s 32-15 win over Scotland, with Erasmus opting for a conventional five-three split between forwards and backs on the bench rather than his much-discussed seven-one ‘Bomb Squad’.
Only lock Eben Etzebeth, hooker Mbonambi and prop Ox Nche have retained their places from the side that started at Murrayfield — a match where Etzebeth, captain for the game, played the whole 80 minutes.
Siya Kolisi returns to lead the team while Grant Williams, a replacement at Murryfield, partners the recalled Manie Libbok at half-back in a brand new back-line as the Springboks go in search of more glory after winning this year’s southern hemisphere Rugby Championship.
Erasmus, asked about the balance between squad development and victory, replied: “You have to win. It’ll be big, it’ll be huge if we can win this match after making so many changes, it’ll justify a lot of players.
“If you lose, (there is) a little bit more pressure, you have to gear back a little bit and just go a little bit more conservative, because as South Africans we don’t want to go down that slope.”
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