Summary
England's rugby team experienced a challenging Six Nations tournament under head coach Steve Borthwick. Despite starting strong with a record winning streak, England faced significant losses, including their first-ever defeat against Italy. Defensive weaknesses and unforced errors in attacking played key roles in their underperformance.
Key Facts
- England began the Six Nations with a strong record, having won 12 successive matches.
- England lost to Italy for the first time in 33 meetings between the two teams.
- England's defense struggled, with over 35 missed tackles leading to scoring opportunities for opponents.
- Defensive issues have been consistent in Borthwick's time as head coach, with England conceding more than 20 points per game on average.
- England's attack suffered from unforced errors, turning over the ball 17 times in crucial areas.
- The team scored only seven tries in the last three matches, down from seven against Wales weeks earlier.
- England received several yellow cards that contributed to their challenges, being temporarily down players during key moments.
- England faced difficulties despite having had success in scoring tries last year and at the start of the tournament.
