Steve Borthwick leaves England open for attack at the lineout as he rolls the dice with selection for Ireland clash
Steve Borthwick leaves England open for attack at the lineout as he rolls the dice with selection for Ireland clash
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Around 6pm on Tuesday, the England players sat on their hotel balcony, taking turns to have their hair cut, watching the sun set over the Costa Brava. The roseate glow and meditative spa music painted a picture of tranquillity ahead of their Six Nations opener against Ireland.
![[Maro Itoje, in his first Test as England skipper, will have his work cut out at the lineout]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/28/21/94612701-0-image-a-53_1738101506145.jpg)
Downstairs, Steve Borthwick addressed the media for the first time since his squad assembled in Spain. He delivered a message about youth, style and performances to get fans jumping off the couch. ‘You talk about the Six Nations, is it 10million people watching it on TV?’ said Borthwick. ‘You’ll have people sitting ontheir sofas at home with their England shirts on, hopefully jumping up and down.
‘Hopefully they’re going into work on a Monday morning feeling six inches taller because of the way their team played. That’s what we want to bring.’. It all felt a long way from the storm clouds back at Twickenham but the forecast can change quickly in English rugby.
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Steve Borthwick wants to excite England fans and is trying something different against Ireland. Maro Itoje, in his first Test as England skipper, will have his work cut out at the lineout. Messaging about growth and improvement are all well and good but the public’s insatiable appetite is for victories.
![[Ben Earl wants to put right the wrongs of England's autumn with a strong Six Nations campaign]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/28/21/94612391-0-image-a-54_1738101566458.jpg)
Winning scorelines were hard to come by in 2024 — just five from 12 Tests — and Borthwick is attempting a new selection formula to turn things around. He has selected the Curry twins, Tom and Ben, to bring their breakdown expertise in the background at the expense of a lineout option. It is a selection gamble that will leave the Irish sniffing an opportunity.
