Steve Borthwick has accepted that England's prop injury crisis is "unfortunate and disruptive", but the head coach remains optimistic about his team's chances of winning their first Six Nations title since 2020.
The squad's depth charts were mapped out before the injuries, with scrum coach Tom Harrison working closely with front-row forwards to prepare for new players. Borthwick acknowledges that the disruption may have created an opportunity for others but has not shied away from emphasizing his team's readiness to "attack the tournament and play brave".
England is set to name 36-player squad ahead of their six-nation campaign, featuring two uncapped props Vilikesa Sela and Emmanuel Iyogun. The side will also be bolstered by the inclusion of Greg Fisilau, who Borthwick described as having "phenomenal work-rate". Fisilau's performance for Exeter Chiefs has drawn praise from the head coach.
This year's campaign is being touted as a test of England's development and readiness to dominate tournament. The squad's 500 Six Nations appearances amongst its players should provide the experience needed, according to Borthwick. England will be eager to build upon their 11 Test win streak that started in November 2024.
A key aspect of this year's Six nations is set to be the scrum with several law changes and increased tactical play bringing forward prop selection into focus. In the face of injury, the team has shown a growing depth which is likely to serve them well as they target major honours for the first time since 2020.
Borthwick expressed his excitement regarding the potential for young players pushing standards higher throughout the squad, driving England towards another dominant performance in Six Nations.
The squad's depth charts were mapped out before the injuries, with scrum coach Tom Harrison working closely with front-row forwards to prepare for new players. Borthwick acknowledges that the disruption may have created an opportunity for others but has not shied away from emphasizing his team's readiness to "attack the tournament and play brave".
England is set to name 36-player squad ahead of their six-nation campaign, featuring two uncapped props Vilikesa Sela and Emmanuel Iyogun. The side will also be bolstered by the inclusion of Greg Fisilau, who Borthwick described as having "phenomenal work-rate". Fisilau's performance for Exeter Chiefs has drawn praise from the head coach.
This year's campaign is being touted as a test of England's development and readiness to dominate tournament. The squad's 500 Six Nations appearances amongst its players should provide the experience needed, according to Borthwick. England will be eager to build upon their 11 Test win streak that started in November 2024.
A key aspect of this year's Six nations is set to be the scrum with several law changes and increased tactical play bringing forward prop selection into focus. In the face of injury, the team has shown a growing depth which is likely to serve them well as they target major honours for the first time since 2020.
Borthwick expressed his excitement regarding the potential for young players pushing standards higher throughout the squad, driving England towards another dominant performance in Six Nations.
. with 500 test appearances between them, the squad should have more experience under pressure, but that prop injury crisis could be a major blow... what do you guys think? 
, especially with the scrum coming under scrutiny with all those law changes 
. But at the same time, it's great to see young players like Vilikesa Sela and Emmanuel Iyogun getting a chance to shine 
. Fingers crossed they can bring some much-needed energy to the team 
!
And let's be real, those law changes are just an excuse for the teams to get creative with their scrum strategies... it's like a prop-based game of chess 
! The young guns are gonna shine, and I'm all about that underdog story 
. Bring on the Six Nations, England's got this! 
, so maybe this is an opportunity for them to shine and push the team forward. 
. Anyway, on the bright side, I guess it's good that Steve Borthwick is staying optimistic 
️. It's not like England hasn't had their fair share of setbacks before 
. Still, with the squad looking so deep and talented, you've got to think they'll be able to pull it together and dominate the Six Nations 
, they're gonna attack the tournament with confidence 
, they should be fine 
.
I mean, what's really changed here? We're still stuck with the same old issues - prop injuries and whatnot. It feels like we're just patching holes instead of fixing the underlying problems. 500 appearances between squad members is just a number at this point - can they actually put it all together on game day? 
I mean, props are like the ultimate lottery ticket, right? You gotta feel bad for them when injuries happen 
, I'm loving the drama 
!
I mean, a 500-appearance squad is just that – a lot of experience, not necessarily the right mix of guile and guts to take on the best teams. And let's be real, prop selection is going to be a major factor this year 
i think england's prop injury crisis is a big deal and it's gonna be tough to overcome 
. i love how borthwick is emphasizing the importance of depth and experience – 500 six nations appearances is no joke 
. plus, with greg fisilau on board, they're looking pretty formidable 
. fingers crossed for england's first title since 2020! 
And can we talk about how awesome it is that they're including new faces like Vilikesa Sela and Emmanuel Iyogun?! It's like, the future is NOW, fam! 
And let's be real, Greg Fisilau is like a BEAST on the pitch 
His work-rate is PHENOMENAL, and I'm so here for it!