England will be ready for 'pain game'

STEVE Borthwick insists

- By DUNCAN BECH

STEVE Borthwick insists England must be ready to go to a dark place of “pain and suffering” as he prepares to unleash his British and Irish Lions-stacked bomb squad on New Zealand.

George Ford will direct operations against the All Blacks at Allianz Stadium on Saturday amid a prediction from Borthwick that the veteran fly-half will eventually become England head coach.

On the bench Borthwick has strengthened his reputation as a bold selector by picking six Lions including a heavyweight front row of Luke Cowan-Dickie, Ellis Genge and Will Stuart, as well as back-row warrior Tom Curry.