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Borthwick turned down my offer to work with England – Edwards
Defence coach Shaun Edwards says England head coach Steve Borthwick declined his offer to join the men’s coaching staff for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, saying he was content with the existing team. Edwards has since committed to Argentina through the tournament, ending another possibility of working with England’s men.
Edwards, 60, won three Six Nations Grand Slams with Wales and helped France secure three Six Nations titles. England’s current defence is overseen by Richard Wigglesworth, supported by Byron McGuigan and Joe El-Abd; after a 12-Test winning run ended in February, England then lost five matches in a row before recent wins over Fiji and Argentina. Edwards also briefly advised England’s women, who beat New Zealand 26-19 despite making 310 tackles and only seven entries into the opposition 22.
In short
- Borthwick turned down Edwards’s offer to join England’s staff.
- Edwards will coach Argentina through the 2027 World Cup.
- He praised the Red Roses’ 26-19 win over New Zealand.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Borthwick could reasonably favour continuity and trust in the coaches already in place, giving them time to address the recent run of defeats and build a settled system for 2027. Edwards’s record is impressive, but adding a high-profile coach could complicate responsibilities or unsettle a staff whose approach has recently produced wins over Fiji and Argentina.
The case against
England could reasonably have explored Edwards’s offer given his record with Wales and France and the defensive concerns raised by the team’s losing run. Bringing in a coach with experience across successful international sides might have added fresh ideas and strengthened preparations for the World Cup, while declining the offer closed off that option.
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