Progress or standing still – where are England under Borthwick?
England secured victories against South Africa, Fiji and Argentina in their Nations Championship campaign, providing respite after achieving just a single win during the Six Nations—the country's poorest performance in two decades. However, the Rugby Football Union's expectation that on-field discipline would improve has not materialised, with fourteen yellow cards accumulated across 2026 and the team spending over two hours of match time with fewer than the full complement of players due to sanctions.
The backline attack offered encouraging signs through winger Immanuel Feyi-Waboso's return and commanding moments, notably in the opening period against Argentina where England secured three tries. Yet doubts persist about whether England can consistently translate territorial dominance into points, and former internationals have cautioned that the recurring discipline problem must be resolved promptly if the side is to mount an effective challenge against top-ranked nations in the lead-up to the 2027 World Cup.
- England won all Nations Championship fixtures following a historically poor Six Nations, but received 14 yellow cards across 2026 despite being flagged as an area needing improvement
- Attacking improvements were visible through Feyi-Waboso's return and strong performances in patches, particularly against Argentina, though question marks remain over progress as 2027 World Cup approaches
- Systemic discipline issues saw England play more than two hours across eight matches with reduced player numbers, a pattern that elite opposition will exploit