Steve Borthwick bringing clarity to ‘England way’ of playing, says Ben Youngs ahead of Six Nations | Rugby Union News

Ben Youngs says new England head coach Steve Borthwick is “really meticulous about making sure that everything we do on the training field simulates how we want to play the game. He also has a great way of making us feel extremely clear but confident with it.”

Ben Youngs says newly-appointed England head coach Steve Borthwick has offered clarity to the team’s identity heading into next weekend’s Six Nations opener against Scotland.

The game awaits as a first look at England under Borthwick after the former Leicester coach took over following the dismissal of Eddie Jones.

England are coming off a year in which they recorded their first losing Test record since 2008, Borthwick also arriving just nine months out from the 2023 World Cup in France.

“Obviously I know him well, in terms of himself and Kevin from their times of Leicester,” said England and Leicester scrum half Youngs.

“So, in terms of me and my other Leicester colleagues, we roughly knew what to expect with the schedules and how he likes to play the game and operate but for everyone else, they walk in not knowing then as soon as it is the first meeting goes and you are out on the field, everything settles down.

“Like I said, it has been brilliant and he is really chasing that clarity for us and having that ability to play in an England way and the way we want to play.

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England boss Steve Borthwick preferred to not talk about injured players but of the excitement within the group ahead of the Six Nations.

“He is extremely thorough, he is extremely detailed and the last thing he would ever want is for us to take the field and not have clarity in terms of what our role is, in terms of how we want to attack the game.

“He is someone who is really meticulous about making sure that everything we do on the training field simulates how we want to play the game. He also has a great way of making us feel extremely clear but confident with it.”

England have not beaten Scotland at Twickenham since 2017 as they look to spark a change in fortune and atmosphere for a team seeking to rediscover itself on the back of a disappointing end to the Jones tenure.

Borthwick recently shelved World Cup talk to commit his focus to the Six Nations amid his effort to stamp his mark on proceedings, Youngs putting the onus on England players to be receptive to the style and demands of their new coach.

“I think the most important thing this week, although we have touched on Scotland briefly, is trying to get the fundamentals of our game right in terms of how Steve wants us to play, Kev wants us to defend, and Cockers [Richard Cockerill] wants us to scrum and all these aspects of our game which are so important,” he said.

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Ireland boss Andy Farrell says Warren Gatland and Steve Borthwick bring an extra spice to the Six Nations and believes Borthwick will do a great job for England.

“Scotland have obviously had Gregor [Townsend] for a long time and their coaching staff so they have a real clear identity of how Scotland play and they are used to that.

“For us, we have got to be the fastest learners. The guys have got to figure out how we play under Steve and what he wants us to do in a real short period so training and time on the field is absolutely paramount.

“When we train we are really intense and absolutely on it but the guys have understood that there is loads of downtime so when we are on the field, it is all on straight away, flick the switch.”

A coaching change and England’s issues of the past year gone by aside, Youngs needs no added motivation heading into a match-up with their oldest rivals.

“I think these are the sort of games you watch growing up as a kid. Six Nations fixtures were always the ones that my dad took me down to,” he explained.

“There is obviously a fierce rivalry with Scotland who have probably had the better of us the last few times we have played them.

“It is always exciting to pull on an England shirt and special, but even more special when you get to do it at Twickenham as well.

“I am excited I get the opportunity to train and the opportunity to show what I am about in this environment. If I am working hard and I can learn my lessons and take on as much as I can from the new coaches then the rest should look after itself.”