England rugby head coach Steve Borthwick has called on his players to harness the intensity and passion displayed during their recent club-level altercation as the team prepares for the upcoming Nations Championship. The tournament resumes next month, with England set to face Australia, New Zealand, and Japan.
Borthwick’s comments follow a heated confrontation at Welford Road last week involving England internationals Henry Pollock and Ollie Chessum. The pair were central to a brawl that broke out during the Leicester Tigers versus Northampton Saints match, an incident that contributed to Leicester’s convincing victory. While Pollock was not the initial aggressor, tensions escalated when he briefly stopped to tie his bootlaces as both teams made their way down the tunnel, aggravating Chessum. The wider scuffle at halftime also involved Alex Mitchell and Freddie Steward.
Despite the fracas, Borthwick emphasized that the players have since moved past their differences during a two-day training camp at Pennyhill Park. Rather than reprimanding them, he praised their fighting spirit and encouraged his squad to channel that energy positively in international play.
“It is a real strength of the game to be able to compete like that, as full-blooded as that encounter and as heated as it is, and then be perfectly fine these two days,” Borthwick said. He noted that strong club loyalty fuels such intensity and described it as a positive attribute for English rugby. “But you come in, it’s all about the England team,” he added.
Borthwick, who has experience navigating similar derby rivalries from his coaching tenure at Leicester, clarified that the altercation did not cross into illegal behavior. “Do I like seeing intensity, passion, pride? Yes. Do I want the players to bring that passion and pride in an England shirt? Absolutely,” he said. He stressed that many players in the current squad are under 25 and that he wants them to establish a strong identity leading into next year’s World Cup.
The team also received a setback with the injury withdrawal of Guy Pepper, who has started 10 of England’s last 12 matches. An ankle injury sustained while playing for Bath against Gloucester last week rules him out of the autumn international window. This creates an opening likely to be contested by Tom or Ben Curry for the openside flanker position.
On a brighter note, Fin Smith is progressing well from a calf injury sustained in Northampton’s derby defeat. Although he has yet to train with the full group, Smith is expected to be available for England’s opening Nations Series match against Australia on November 8. Additionally, Immanuel Feyi-Waboso and Seb Atkinson are nearing return to action after recovering from lower-limb injuries.
Borthwick also shared positive observations about captain Maro Itoje, who has returned refreshed after a brief sabbatical earlier this year. “He looks energised and refreshed,” Borthwick said, noting Itoje’s optimistic attitude and the impact of a recent Sunday game on his training load.
As England prepares for a demanding autumn schedule, Borthwick’s focus remains on blending youthful energy with experienced leadership, emphasizing pride and passion as core pillars of the team’s approach.