RFU CEO Bill Sweeney remains confident that England are working hard to make the necessary improvements, but admitted the side’s recent results have been “hugely disappointing”.
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Despite a brave performance in Paris on Saturday, England suffered a heartbreaking defeat to France, with Thomas Ramos landing a match-winning penalty deep into added time to secure a 48-46 victory and the Six Nations title.
The loss meant England finished fifth in the championship and, remarkably, lost four matches in a single Six Nations campaign for the first time.
England won just one of their five fixtures – a 48-7 thrashing of Wooden Spoon ‘winners’ Wales in the opening round – leaving them with their worst return from a Six Nations tournament since Italy joined the competition in 2000.
However, despite the disappointing campaign, the RFU hierarchy are not planning to remove head coach Steve Borthwick. RUCK understands that while there will be no further official statement from the governing body, England’s spirited showing in Paris has convinced senior figures that Borthwick should at least remain in charge for the three summer fixtures.
England’s Summer Fixtures (2026)
- 4 July: South Africa v England
- 11 July: Fiji v England
- 18 July: Argentina v England
Those matches form the opening rounds of the inaugural Nations Championship, where England will face three Southern Hemisphere opponents during July.
While the RFU are backing Borthwick for now, a group of senior rugby figures – drawn from both inside and outside the organisation – will gather feedback from coaches and players over the coming weeks in an attempt to understand what went wrong during the Six Nations campaign.
For now, the governing body’s position remains the same as the statement released last weekend.
“After a 12 match winning run, these past three results have been hugely disappointing, and we feel that just as much as everyone else,” Sweeney said.
“Steve and his coaching team are working tirelessly to make improvements, and we remain fully committed to supporting them and the players as they face France this weekend and then look ahead to the Nations Championship.
“Part of that support is being open about what hasn’t gone right during this Six Nations and making sure everyone has a clear sense of how we move through those challenges together. That’s something we’ll be talking through and working on in the days and weeks ahead.
“We will work together to understand and rectify why we have been unable to meet the expectations and anticipation going into these games.
“England fans rightly expect a team that learns and grows through adversity, and we’re confident this group will do everything they can to deliver that.”
EDITORS PICKS:
From Best to Worst: Ranking Every England Player from the 2026 Six Nations
There is an odd sense of optimism following England’s narrow defeat at the Stade de France in the final round of the Six Nations, a result that seems to have temporarily masked the deep problems of what has otherwise been their worst Six Nations campaign in history
Steve Borthwick now faces intense scrutiny after England lost four of their five matches, conceded more points than any England side ever has, and finished level on wins with a struggling Wales team.
With that context in mind, we rank every England player who featured in the tournament, from best to worst.
1 Ben Earl
One of the few players whose reputation grew during this tournament. Earl was consistently solid in every England match, repeatedly helping the side through challenging periods with relentless carries.
He finished the campaign with more carries than any other player. While not at his usual exceptional level throughout, he remained a bright spot in an otherwise disappointing England campaign.
2 Joe Heyes
England’s scrum was the main area of improvement, making the front-rowers stand out. Heyes edges out Ellis Genge due to his consistently strong scrummaging.
The Leicester Tigers tighthead has continued his rapid development and now ranks among the world’s best in his position.
3 Ellis Genge
Genge falls just behind Heyes, primarily due to a costly error against Scotland when he dropped the ball near England’s try line, allowing a score.
Aside from that incident, he was a reliable scrummager and contributed effectively around the field. His yellow against France was also a turning point, but that was a bit of a harsh decision, so Genge isn’t marked down too harshly for that.
4 Jamie George
George led the tournament in successful lineout throws and was generally dependable, if unspectacular. His experience proved valuable, though England’s reliance on him raises questions about depth at hooker, especially with his planned retirement after the next World Cup.
Overall, he can be reasonably satisfied with his performances.
5 Ollie Chessum
Not always at his peak, but far from a disappointment. Chessum provided physicality in both carrying and defence, showing leadership by taking responsibility after defeats.
His standout moment came against France, scoring two tries, including a spectacular interception-run from near halfway. He can take pride in how he finished the tournament.
6 Alex Coles
Coles made three starts and two bench appearances, reflecting England’s depth struggles. A physical presence in the second row, he performed well when called upon.
He provides valuable squad depth and reliability when needed.
7 Henry Pollock
Pollock occasionally fell short of expectations but injected energy and positivity whenever on the field, a key trait for a young player.
His start against Ireland was underwhelming, and some ill-discipline hindered his impact.
8 Marcus Smith
Smith is not Steve Borthwick’s first-choice fly-half and was mainly used from the bench. Still, he contributed positively when on the field and avoided the wider struggles that affected many teammates.
9 Cadan Murley
Murley only featured in the final two games, but he performed impressively in those appearances.
He showed more than some teammates did over the entire campaign and looks promising on the wing, certainly stronger than those in his position ranked below him.
10 Guy Pepper
Pepper was steady but unspectacular, starting four of five games. He neither made a major impact nor committed critical errors, showing potential for development.
11 Bevan Rodd
A reliable bench option. Solid when used, though with limited opportunity to influence games significantly.
12 Jack van Poortvliet
Provided energy and stability in Alex Mitchell’s absence. Reliable but without standout performances.
