“You’re like the negativity committee, so it’s lovely coming and talking to you again.”
Borthwick, usually measured with the media, had a rare bit of bite to him in Argentina.
The hosts were denied a shot at levelling the match when Bautista Delguy’s 83rd-minute try was controversially chalked off.
Prior to the game, Borthwick was asked about his continuity in selection: “That’s four new caps in the past two weeks – how many caps did you want?”
England also faced criticism in the build-up to the 2023 World Cup, which included five defeats in six games and a first-ever loss to Fiji.
Care played at the 2023 World Cup and recalls Borthwick creating “a narrative within the group that it’s you against the world”.
“We did that at the 2023 World Cup, and it worked,” Care added.
“Internally, what Steve is really good at is galvanising the group by saying, ‘Look, even the media are having a go at us now, let’s go and prove everyone wrong.’
“I didn’t mind him clapping back a little bit. At least it showed a bit of fight because what people have said about Steve before is they can’t break through to him and he’s almost a little bit robotic.”
Borthwick leaned heavily on a group of experienced players, well used to criticism, to reach the semi-finals of the 2023 World Cup.
Since then, that squad has been rejuvenated with exciting young talents – such as Henry Pollock, Freeman and Feyi-Waboso – while depth continues to be built.
Captain Maro Itoje will return from a rare summer break refreshed, and his side have now experienced the highs of a 12-game winning run and the lows of a five-game losing streak.
Unprecedented summer travel has likely played a role in why the thrilling performance at the end of the Six Nations against France in Paris has not been replicated.
But sitting two points off top spot in the northern hemisphere section of the Nations Championship, Borthwick’s side are in a strong position to welcome Australia, Japan and New Zealand to Allianz Stadium in November.
Nine games are in England’s diary before the World Cup warm-up games, with the window for change now likely closing.
