THE RUGBY FOOTBALL Union (RFU) announced today that Bristol have agreed to release Steve Borthwick so that he can join England’s coaching set-up under new head coach Eddie Jones.
The former England captain, 36, agreed personal terms with the RFU earlier this week, only for second-tier Bristol to block his appointment on the grounds that he had been contacted without the club’s permission.
“We very much appreciate that our approach for Steve has come at a challenging time for Bristol during the season, and in such circumstances I thank them for reaching this agreement,” RFU chief executive Ian Ritchie said.
The stand-off was embarrassing for the RFU, which had hoped that by appointing Jones it would draw a line beneath the humiliation of England’s World Cup group-stage exit on home soil in October.
Borthwick, who won 57 England caps and played in the 2007 World Cup final, is a line-out specialist and worked with Australian Jones as forwards coach in the Japan set-up before joining Bristol.
He follows defence coach Paul Gustard, formerly of Saracens, in joining Jones’s back-room staff ahead of next month’s Six Nations.
Jones began work earlier this month after being appointed on a four-year contract as the successor to Stuart Lancaster, whose tenure ended after the World Cup.
Leinster lose in Europe again as Toulon rumble to second-half comeback
Hat-trick for Chris Ashton as Saracens continue to set pace in Ulster’s group
