England boss copies Rassie...again
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: England head coach Steve Borthwick has taken a page out of Springbok boss Rassie Erasmus’ playbook, naming his team early for the Six Nations opener against Wales.
The move mirrors a tactic famously used by Erasmus, who sent shockwaves through the rugby world when he announced his South Africa side to face the All Blacks on a Monday during last year’s Rugby Championship.
That bold call came after the Springboks suffered a 17-24 defeat to New Zealand at Eden Park the previous week. The gamble paid off, with the Boks responding in emphatic fashion by beating the All Blacks in Wellington.
Now following that same blueprint, Borthwick has revealed his England side well in advance of their clash with Wales.
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England hosts Wales at Allianz Stadium on Saturday, February 7. The fixture will mark the 144th meeting between the two nations in a rivalry that dates back to 1881.
Jamie George will captain England in their opening match of the 2026 Six Nations Championship, with George Ford and Ellis Genge named as vice-captains.
“England versus Wales is always a special occasion in the rugby calendar,” said Borthwick.
“It’s a fierce rivalry with a long history and one that presents a huge challenge every time we meet.
“We expect Wales to bring a strong kicking game, so accuracy in our response will be key. Our focus is on executing our game plan and maintaining discipline throughout the match.
“We’re excited to get the Championship underway at a packed-out Allianz Stadium. The support we receive at home is outstanding and always gives the players a huge lift.”
This is not the first time Borthwick has drawn inspiration from Erasmus. He has also adopted the now-famous 6-2 bench split, featuring six forwards and two backs.
The Springboks popularised the approach – affectionately known as the Bomb Squad – during their 2019 World Cup-winning campaign.
England: 15 Freddie Steward, 14 Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, 13 Tommy Freeman, 12 Fraser Dingwall, 11 Henry Arundell, 10 George Ford, 9 Alex Mitchell, 8 Ben Earl, 7 Sam Underhill, 6 Guy Pepper, 5 Ollie Chessum, 4 Alex Coles, 3 Joe Heyes, 2 Jamie George (captain), 1 Ellis Genge.
Replacements: 16 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 17 Bevan Rodd, 18 Trevor Davison, 19 Maro Itoje, 20 Tom Curry, 21 Henry Pollock, 22 Ben Spencer, 23 Marcus Smith
Date: Saturday, February 7
Venue: Allianz Stadium, Twickenham
Kick-off: 16.40 (16.40 GMT)
Referee: Pierre Brousset (France)
Assistant Referees: Nic Berry (Australia) & Morné Ferreira (South Africa)
TMO: Tual Trainini (France)
