PARIS — England head coach Steve Borthwick has said the hurt his team experienced in this Six Nations will make them stronger in the future and insisted he is the man to lead them forward after their heartbreaking 48-46 defeat to France.
Thomas Ramos won the match and the championship for Les Bleus with the last kick of the game at Stade de France.
England outscored France seven tries to six in an epic encounter where Louis Bielle-Biarrey scored four tries but ultimately the accuracy of Ramos’ boot was the difference.
England’s tries came from Tom Roebuck, Cadan Murley, Ollie Chessum (two), Alex Coles, Marcus Smith and Tommy Freeman but Bielle-Biarrey’s quartet and a penalty try and one from Theo Attisogbe alongside Ramos’ boot secured France the narrow victory.
For England this defeat consigns them to their worst ever Six Nations, having suffered four losses. Borthwick’s role has come in for scrutiny, but he says he’s the right man to lead the team on.
“I am really disappointed for the players and the supporters, they players played so well and it was so close to be a special day,” Borthwick said.
“Games against France have been so close recently. They have been epic games.
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“The team when it spends more time in camp together, it significantly improves but ultimately I am gutted. We came in with such high expectations but, ultimately, we have not been able to meet them. We are all hurting but there is a determination to make sure this hurt makes the team stronger.
“I believe I am the right man to lead this team forward. The team has been going through a tough spell, but it has a lot of growth in it. This experience and pain everyone is feeling now will be used to make the team stronger. Myself, Maro [Itoje] and the hierarchy at the RFU all share that vision.”
The RFU will now undertake its customary post-tournament review, but has already issued a statement backing Borthwick into the Nations Championship.
He hopes his players learn from this championship and use it as fuel for the fire heading forward.
“I’m really proud of the way the players played but ultimately we’re gutted that we went into the tournament with such high expectations and aspirations and we’ve not been able to meet those targets,” Borthwick said.
“It’s been a painful tournament and we’re all hurting. I know the supporters are hurting as well. We wanted to make sure they had wins to celebrate and we weren’t able to give that. “Everyone involved in the team cares so deeply, so the immediate reflection is one of huge disappointment.
“There’s a sense of determination to make sure that this hurt makes the team stronger in the future.”
