'He's A Tall Eddie Jones' - Murphy Delivers A Blunt Assessment Of Borthwick
'He's A Tall Eddie Jones' - Murphy Delivers A Blunt Assessment Of Borthwick
England faces pressure, as Steve Borthwick’s leadership sparks discontent. Former Leicester Tigers and Ireland player Geordan Murphy slams Borthwick.
England head coach Steve Borthwick faces mounting pressure, both on and off the pitch, as concerns over his leadership style continue to emerge.
With a high-stakes clash against France looming, murmurs of discontent within the England camp add to the growing uncertainty.
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Many have described Borthwick as a no-nonsense coach who prioritizes technical precision over personal relationships.
Speaking to Prime Casino, one of Borthwick's former colleagues, Geordan Murphy, recounted a moment from when the pair worked together at the Leicester Tigers.
"Steve said to me, ‘I don’t want to be your friend,' and that makes it difficult in a working environment when someone openly tells you that," Murphy said.
While his tactical acumen is respected within the professional coaching ranks, Borthwick's detached and highly focused nature has drawn comparisons to former England coach Eddie Jones.
"I know Steve has a huge amount of respect for Eddie Jones," Murphy added. "Just from looking at the track record of the RFU employees that left under Eddie, I know that way of leading is a challenging one to get right because you're putting a lot of pressure on people.
"In the companies I work with now, that behavior just wouldn't be accepted, wouldn't be tolerated. I think you just got to be very careful with the way people are sort of treated.
"If they hadn’t just got rid of Eddie, I’d say that would be the case. If they do think of getting rid of Steve, then the questions have to be asked, and fingers pointed elsewhere, as well, because he effectively is a ‘Tall Eddie Jones.’
"That's what I'm hearing in camp, that his behavior is very similar to Eddie. So why would you get rid of one bloke and replace him with an English clone?
"There's a lot of people who've been complicit in making that decision, so I think it looks bad for a lot of people. So, no, I don't think you do get rid of him. I don't think they can get rid of him. I think they’ll stick with him.
"But that's good for everyone else!"
Unlike Borthwick, assistant coach Richard Wigglesworth is seen as possessing the emotional intelligence that fosters stronger relationships within the squad.
“Wiggy gets the personal side of it more," Murphy said. "He understands the interpersonal aspect that Steve struggles with.”
Behind the scenes, there are whispers of unrest. Reports suggest that some players have assigned derogatory nicknames to members of the coaching staff - an indication of underlying tensions.
“You always know there’s discontent when you hear things like that,” Murphy explained. “There are reasons why coaches have left.”
Despite public reassurances from players about the squad’s unity, there remains skepticism.
“Everything I hear from the England camp is, ‘Oh, it’s a great place,’" Murphy said. "But what do you expect them to say? No player is going to admit otherwise.”
The challenges facing England extend beyond internal discord.
Following a bruising defeat to Ireland in its opening Six Nations fixture, Borthwick’s side now must prepare for an imposing French team that looked formidable against Wales.
“France were in second gear and still played fantastic rugby," Murphy said. "At Twickenham, they’ll be favorites."
A loss against France would put enormous pressure on England ahead of its encounter with Scotland.
The Scots, buoyed by recent success in the Calcutta Cup, will arrive in London with confidence.
“They’ve won the last four against England, and if Borthwick’s side is already on two losses, that match becomes pivotal," Murphy said.
With expectations for a bounce-back performance high, Borthwick is under major scrutiny; the coming weeks will be defining for his feasibility as England coach. Whether his rigid, data-driven approach can withstand the intense demands of international rugby remains to be seen. For now, the discontent lingers, and the pressure mounts.
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