RFU Extends Steve Borthwick's Contract Through 2028 Six Nations
2 sources · United Kingdom
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- The Guardian
- BBC News
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The Rugby Football Union has extended head coach Steve Borthwick's contract until the conclusion of the 2028 Six Nations. The extension moves his tenure beyond the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia. Conor O'Shea, the RFU director of performance, stated that the move provides certainty for the coaching group so they are not looking for new jobs heading into the tournament. O'Shea noted that the team's future will be judged on their performance at the World Cup.
Borthwick faced significant pressure following England's worst Six Nations campaign since the tournament expanded twenty five years ago. While RFU chief executive Bill Sweeney has expressed backing for Borthwick, the extension is notably shorter than the long term deals given to other international coaches, such as Andy Farrell's contract with Ireland.
In addition to the coaching update, the RFU announced a sponsorship deal with Lloyds Bank worth approximately 5 million pounds per year. This agreement will place the Lloyds logo on the back of men's and women's jerseys and training jackets. The RFU is seeking to diversify revenue streams as it expects a 10 million pound loss for the financial year ending 2026, partly due to the team's poor Six Nations performance. Separately, England flanker Henry Pollock is reportedly nearing a new deal with Northampton worth over 400,000 pounds.
How each side framed it
- Centre-left
- The center-left lean framing focuses on the extension as a pragmatic move to avoid uncertainty while highlighting the RFU's financial struggles and new sponsorship deals.
- Centre
- The center lean framing emphasizes the extension as a tactical holding pattern and a minimal vote of confidence given the team's poor form.
Sources
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