Matt Dawson segment: Steve Borthwick’s Britain plan for the day

Those are the five things that are at the top of his agenda.

1. A choice problem

Borthwick must quickly figure out the heart of the group – the fly half, the inside and outside focus.

Marcus Smith, Owen Farrell and Manu Tuilagi filled these positions in the pre-winter season. It was Eddie Jones’ preferred mix, but we didn’t see the state of the art that we as a whole cared about.

Assuming Borthwick will include his appearance for a legitimate assessment of Britain’s location, Farrell’s place is in jeopardy.

Its structure hasn’t even come close to being as tall as before over the last few years. For all his management in preparing and setting policies off the field, he hasn’t done as well as he could.

There really are better insider communities in prevalence, ranging from the extremely experienced to the new. Could either of them eventually develop a relationship with Smith and allow him to become the general of this British side?

With all arrangements, time is short. Borthwick should remain consistent in his picks in this area to gain an understanding of each other’s games and the group’s overall approach.

2. Choose a skipper

Borthwick played nearby and against Courtney Lawes, who drove Britain in Farrell’s autumn 2021 non-appearance

Regardless of his position in the group, I would be extremely shocked if Farrell remained in command.

Releasing him from press responsibility and public scrutiny could let him go and help him see it as his game.

When Borthwick chose Ellis Genge to succeed Tom Youngs as Leicester commander, it was seen by some as an unexpected decision. It paid off handsomely, however, as Genge pushed the Tigers to prevalence.

Borthwick has seen Maro Itoje from the start. A High School Itoje made his Saracen debut in Borthwick’s final season as a player at the club.

3. Characterize Britain’s aspiring personality

There is a twin test. The group has, at this point, missed the mark of a steady strategy of separating the resistance for several years. For my purposes, Jones focused too much on the global comings and goings of the game – what different groups were doing strategically as the rules were deciphered elsewhere

He was constantly trying to stay ahead of the patterns as he realized how Britain wanted to play.

4. Relight the players

I don’t really accept that Britain represent serious strengths for less fit than the All Blacks or Springboks. I just don’t trust that. In any case, they’ve been pushed backwards in the scrum in the last two games of Jones’ reign.

It’s not just the specialized parts of the set piece, I think Britain is a tiny rate away from that in the mindset. Everyone is goaded to play for their nation and yet they need to find that easy time of focus and desire that could make all the difference. You really want something different.

5. Reconnect the fans

This is one of the easier ones but should reconnect with the British fans at Twickenham. The boos from the springbok towards the end of harvest showed that the relationship was damaged.

Borthwick will not be a central ringmaster doing the TV meetings and dropping trendy phrases. That’s not his style. In any case, he will recognize that Great Britain should do more to excite fans with the way they play on and off the pitch.