Borthwick focus on Tigers amid England talk

STEVE BORTHWICK insists his focus is on Leicester’s opening European game this weekend and not on speculation linking him to becoming England’s new head coach.

Tigers director of rugby Borthwick is the favourite to succeed Eddie Jones, who was sacked on Tuesday after overseeing England’s worst year of results since 2008.

“We play Ospreys on Sunday night and that’s what I’m focused upon,” Borthwick said at his pre- match press conference for Leicester’s Heineken Champions Cup opener.

“That’s what my team is focused upon and that’s what we’ve been focused upon all week.

“Within Leicester Tigers and this team here, there is no talk here of anything other than the game on Sunday night.”

Borthwick – who pledged he would be in the Leicester dugout for their second Champions Cup game against Clermont Auvergne on December 17 – added: “I don’t think anyone can possibly doubt how committed I have been since the minute I walked through this door to give the best I can for this team.

“That is my intention again this week to get the performance we want.

“All these things that go on around a team, your job is always to be focused on what you need to do.

“Since I’ve come in here my focus is on what we need to get better today.

“We have frameworks in place to make sure how we think about how we train, how we prepare, and we will continue to do that this week.”

The 43- year- old former England captain was given his first coaching role in 2012 when Jones was in charge of Japan.

Borthwick stepped down as England forwards coach after the 2019 World Cup, and final defeat to South Africa. He moved on to Leicester whom he transformed from fallen giants to last season’s Gallagher Premiership champions.

Borthwick said he had spoken to Jones after his seven- year England reign came to an end just nine months before the 2023 World Cup.

He said: “Eddie is a phenomenal coach and I was very fortunate and privileged to have worked with him for so many years.

“I have learned and continue to learn a huge amount from him. Even when not working in the same coaching team as him since I came to Leicester Tigers, he’s always been incredibly supportive of myself and my coaching journey.

“I could talk about Eddie’s work ethic and the desire to learn.

“He never ceases to want to be better and improve the players to help them achieve their dreams.”