Maro Itoje has voiced his unwavering support for Steve Borthwick, affirming that England is capable of achieving remarkable success under his guidance, despite a disappointing Six Nations campaign. England's Six Nations run was marred by four consecutive losses, including a historic defeat to Italy, resulting in a fifth-place finish. However, RFU chief executive Bill Sweeney has signaled that Borthwick will be given the opportunity to redeem himself during the upcoming Nations Championship fixtures this summer.
If Borthwick can deliver a satisfactory performance against South Africa, Fiji, and Argentina in July, he will be well-positioned 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, given their 11-Test winning streak prior to the tournament. Nevertheless, he remains confident that Borthwick and his coaching staff can reverse the team's fortunes.
"We have faith in our approach," Itoje stated in an interview with Sky Sports. "Steve is an exceptional coach, and his team, 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 our Six Nations campaign was not as successful as we had hoped, my belief in this England team remains unwavering. I firmly believe that we will go on to accomplish great things; it's just a matter of learning from our experiences and pressing forward."