Borthwick defends tactics as Six Nations struggles deepen

Embattled coach Steve Borthwick has defended his game plan amid England's Six Nations nosedive and believes his players have buckled under expectations.

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England entered the championship with title aspirations but consecutive defeats to Scotland, Ireland and Italy have shattered those hopes. England are fifth in the table and facing title-chasing France in Paris this Saturday in the final round. The visitor's final placing is limited to fourth, fifth or last.

The historic first loss to Italy last weekend in Rome prompted Rugby Football Union chief executive Bill Sweeney the next day to give Borthwick a vote of confidence but only to the end of the July tour, while acknowledging the results were “hugely disappointing.”

Borthwick has been scorned for England's kick-heavy approach, lack of ambition and leadership, sloppiness in front of the tryline and ill-discipline following a 12-test winning streak. He denied he was stifling creativity, saying instead the players were not taking his game plan from practices into the matches.

“There's probably a slight misunderstanding about what our game plan is,” he said Tuesday. “With an international team, you have an overview, a structure of this is how we want to approach the different aspects of the game. And then we talk about the players bringing their points of difference.