WITH one more gameweek left in the 2026 Six Nations, the situation is looking bleak for the England team, currently sitting fourth in the standings, with one win and three defeats from their four games so far, leaving manager, Steve Borthwick hanging by a thread.
The third of those losses came on Saturday, in the form of a 23-18 loss to Italy in Rome, which was the first time England had been defeated by them.
The Red and Whites came into the game at the Stadio Olimpico as favourites, but, at the same time, looking to avenge another defeat, this time at the hands of Ireland by 21-42, at the Allianz Stadium.
Before that, the side had been badly bruised by failing to regain the Calcutta Cup, ending up on the wrong side of a 31-20 scoreline at Murrayfield.
The only win the 39-time champions have earned in this year’s edition of the tournament, came against the side that’s prevented them finishing stone dead last, Wales, who, in their period of transition, have lost every one of their games, and haven’t one a Six Nations match since 2023, and were crushed 48-7 by England.
It doesn’t get any better for Borthwick’s men, as in the last week of matches, they must face the favourites for the trophy, and who currently occupy top spot, France, who England have toppled once in the last four Six Nations, and the win in 2025 was by only one point, 26-25, but it didn’t stop France lifting the trophy.
As a result of their woes this time around, England’s wait to become a 40-time lifter of the trophy, by time of the 2027 edition, will have stretched to seven years.
They last won it in the Covid-hit 2020 season, which finished in October of that year.
Ironically, that year saw a 34-5 victory against Italy, combined with other results going their way, being enough to see them top the standings.
A fourth placed finish will be the second time in four years that England have finished second-last in the tournament, having also done so in 2023, which also happened with Borthwick, not helping his case to keep his job.
