Category: Sports News

• ‘We all love that an underdog can prove people wrong’
• Some players have suffered heavy defeats at club level

England’s players have been urged to jettison the mental baggage of heavy recent club defeats and start afresh when the Six Nations kicks off next week. The majority of the squad have endured at least one ­disappointing result since Christmas but the ­management hope it will intensify their collective desire to transform England’s fortunes over the next seven weeks.

While Leicester’s 80-12 drubbing in Toulouse and Saracens’ ­unscheduled home loss to a second-string ­Castres side last weekend have cast an ­inevitable shadow over England’s warm weather training camp on the Costa Brava, it has at least awoken Steve Borthwick’s players and coaches to the urgent need to raise their level if they are to enjoy a more productive Six Nations campaign.

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• CEO says even vote of no confidence will not get him out
• Sweeney distances himself from Borthwick appointment

Bill Sweeney has revealed he is determined to stay on as the Rugby Football Union’s chief executive until 2027 – even if he loses a forthcoming vote of no confidence – and refused to apologise for accepting a £358,000 bonus amid record losses and redundancies.

Sweeney also distanced himself from the appointment of Steve Borthwick as England head coach two years ago – the most significant decision of his tenure – on the eve of a make-or-break Six Nations campaign that could pile more pressure on the embattled chief executive.

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