Kevin Sinfield could be recruited by England's Six Nations rival

Having served as Borthwick's indispensable ally since his departure from Leicester in late 2022 to assume the England coaching role, Sinfield's departure is scheduled after the conclusion of the Six Nations and the summer tour to Japan and New Zealand.

It was confirmed earlier today that the rugby league legend will no longer be the teams defence coach, and will instead only coach individual skills and the kickers. 

"Kevin has made a decision to go in a different direction," Borthwick told BBC Sport.

"He builds such great relationships with players so it's fantastic he is staying with this team over this period.

"As we have tried to reset this England team over the last 12 months, what Kev has brought can't be overstated, the enormous amount he has brought to this team.

"It is so valuable he is staying with the team through the Six Nations and the summer so we will continue to maximise every bit he can bring to the team."

Insiders at RUCK hint that Kevin Sinfield is potentially in the sights of England's Six Nations opponents.

Scotland's head coach, Gregor Townsend, known for his proclivity for restructuring coaching setups, is a keen admirer of Sinfield and is considering incorporating him into his backroom team leading up to the 2024 Autumn Internationals.