Brian Moore, the retired England rugby legend, is challenging Steve Borthwick to ditch the trendy 6/2 bench strategy in favor of a more balanced 5/3 forwards/backs split for the upcoming November internationals. The shift, Moore argues, will allow new attack coach Lee Blackett to maximize his impact as England faces a demanding lineup with matches against Australia, Fiji, New Zealand, and Argentina.
Blackett, the former Wasps director who joined Borthwick’s coaching staff full-time after a stint as a temporary assistant, had to contend with a 6/2 split in most of his engagements last summer. But with Borthwick’s squad configuration still up in the air, particularly regarding key positions like fly-half, Moore insists a more back-friendly strategy is crucial.
"Owen Farrell's exclusion has removed one variable at number 10, but Borthwick’s opinion of George Ford is yet to be clarified,”
he noted, emphasizing the close contest for the starting spot between Ford and Northampton’s Fin Smith.
Moore's push for a 5/3 split isn’t just about player selection; it’s about tactical flexibility. He argues that the intense matches against higher-ranked opponents require consistent half-back and inside centre roles, something that becomes challenging with a 6/2 split due to limited backline substitutions. This configuration forces a reliance on players like Marcus Smith to cover multiple back positions, potentially sidelining dynamic talents such as Henry Arundell, whose pace Moore believes needs to be tested at the international level.
The debate over England's bench strategy ties into broader team dynamics and the quest to forge a formidable centre partnership—an ongoing challenge since the days of Clive Woodward's coaching.
"This problem, which goes back long before the current partnership of Henry Slade and Ollie Lawrence, is one that I believe will go a long way to defining England’s World Cup campaign,”
Moore added, underlining the strategic importance of these decisions.
With the Autumn Nations Series on the horizon, Moore’s critique highlights the critical choices facing Borthwick and his staff, choices that could define England's rugby direction as they prepare for world-stage competitions. As the team looks to capitalize on home advantage, the success of their November campaign—and perhaps their approach to the upcoming World Cup—may well hinge on getting these decisions right.
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Brian Moore, the retired England rugby legend, is challenging Steve Borthwick to ditch the trendy 6/2 bench strategy in favor of a more balanced 5/3 forwards/backs split for the upcoming November internationals. The shift, Moore argues, will allow new attack coach Lee Blackett to maximize his impact as England faces a demanding lineup with matches against Australia, Fiji, New Zealand, and Argentina.
Blackett, the former Wasps director who joined Borthwick’s coaching staff full-time after a stint as a temporary assistant, had to contend with a 6/2 split in most of his engagements last summer. But with Borthwick’s squad configuration still up in the air, particularly regarding key positions like fly-half, Moore insists a more back-friendly strategy is crucial.
"Owen Farrell's exclusion has removed one variable at number 10, but Borthwick’s opinion of George Ford is yet to be clarified,”
he noted, emphasizing the close contest for the starting spot between Ford and Northampton’s Fin Smith.Moore's push for a 5/3 split isn’t just about player selection; it’s about tactical flexibility. He argues that the intense matches against higher-ranked opponents require consistent half-back and inside centre roles, something that becomes challenging with a 6/2 split due to limited backline substitutions. This configuration forces a reliance on players like Marcus Smith to cover multiple back positions, potentially sidelining dynamic talents such as Henry Arundell, whose pace Moore believes needs to be tested at the international level.
The debate over England's bench strategy ties into broader team dynamics and the quest to forge a formidable centre partnership—an ongoing challenge since the days of Clive Woodward's coaching.
"This problem, which goes back long before the current partnership of Henry Slade and Ollie Lawrence, is one that I believe will go a long way to defining England’s World Cup campaign,”
Moore added, underlining the strategic importance of these decisions.With the Autumn Nations Series on the horizon, Moore’s critique highlights the critical choices facing Borthwick and his staff, choices that could define England's rugby direction as they prepare for world-stage competitions. As the team looks to capitalize on home advantage, the success of their November campaign—and perhaps their approach to the upcoming World Cup—may well hinge on getting these decisions right.