Itoje Backs Borthwick to Lead England to Greatness

Maro Itoje has expressed his confidence in Steve Borthwick, stating that England is capable of achieving remarkable success under his guidance, despite a disappointing Six Nations campaign. England's Six Nations run ended in fifth place after four consecutive losses, including a historic defeat to Italy. RFU CEO Bill Sweeney has hinted that Borthwick will be given the opportunity to lead the team in the upcoming Nations Championship fixtures this summer. If Borthwick can produce a satisfactory performance against South Africa, Fiji, and Argentina in July, he will be in a strong position to see out his contract until the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia. Itoje acknowledges that England fell short of expectations in the Six Nations, having started with an 11-game winning streak, but believes Borthwick and his coaching staff can reverse the team's fortunes. 'We have faith in our approach,' Itoje said in an interview with Sky Sports. 'Steve is an excellent coach, and his staff, including Richard Wigglesworth, Kevin Sinfield, Joe Shaw, and Lee Blackett, are all highly skilled. We need to regroup, learn from our mistakes, and move forward positively. Although we didn't achieve the success we had hoped for, my confidence in the team remains unchanged. I have a lot of faith in this England team and believe we will go on to achieve great things, once we learn from our errors and move forward.'