Former England fly-half and outspoken pundit Stuart Barnes has called on the RFU to sack Steve Borthwick following their dismal Six Nations campaign.<\/p>\n
The Red Rose came into the tournament with high hopes of competing for a title and a Grand Slam, but that was extinguished by Round Three.<\/p>\n
A defeat to Scotland ended their chances of a Grand Slam, before a thrashing by Ireland a week later ended their quest for silverware.<\/p>\n
They then succumbed to Italy for the first time ever as the pressure began to mount on Borthwick<\/a> ahead of their trip to Paris.<\/p>\n Although England<\/a> went on to put in a fine display, they went down to a fourth Six Nations<\/a> loss in a row following a last-minute Thomas Ramos penalty.<\/p>\n Barnes steadfast in his view<\/p>\n The nature of that performance may ultimately save the head coach\u2019s job, but Barnes wants him to be replaced.<\/p>\n \u201cWith the handbrake off, it is no surprise that England did what they did in Paris. This brave showing was an isolated performance in a Six Nations season of concentrated conservatism and should not alter the overwhelming question: should Borthwick stay or should he go?\u201d he wrote in his Sunday Times<\/a> column.<\/p>\n \u201cThe kneejerk reaction is to say keep him off the back of Saturday\u2019s result. Let\u2019s avoid that and focus on Borthwick\u2019s England since his appointment.<\/p>\n \u201cFrom little to no constructive rugby in his first Six Nations to the absolute in unimaginative ugliness throughout the 2023 World Cup.<\/p>\n \u201cThe green shoots of a more balanced game during the 2024 Six Nations through to fortuitous home wins in 2025 and that one truly outstanding 80 minutes against a woeful Wales team in Cardiff.<\/p>\n \u201cEight more consecutive wins followed that performance and, yes, hands up here, the results blinded even the sceptics. But hindsight \u2014 a wonderful thing \u2014 reminds us that eight of the wins in that 12-match streak were at Twickenham.<\/p>\n \u201cScotland and France were the better team in two of those games and the All Blacks were ending a troubled year that resulted in the dismissal of Scott Robertson as head coach.<\/p>\n \u201cThe inexcusable three performances \u2014 not the bare results \u2014 in the Six Nations before the French finale is the basis on which to judge Borthwick.\u201d<\/p>\n