Page 39 - 3rd Test

DHL NEW ZEALAND LIONS SERIES 2017 // 39
PROFILE
He’s a a a a a a a a a a a a a a man of few words but a a a a a a a a a a a a a a thousand thoughts Now having applied his his analytical brain to Japan and and and England Steve Borthwick is is is working his his magic with the Lions WORDS: TOM HAMILTON
TO THE THE MAN ON
THE THE street former international lock and Lions coach Steve Borthwick is a a a a a quiet fellow
– slightly uneasy in in the spotlight but a a a thinker To those who work with him however he’s an an inspirational leader and one of the world’s nest rugby brains Borthwick can be guarded but his presence and softly spoken nature create an an an aura of of of authority Beneath it it all is a a a a a a a a a a unique understanding of of of rugby’s set piece the the nuances of of the the lineout and and and what it takes to drive performance and and and and standards It has seen him captain England on on 21 occasions aid Japan’s memorable 2015 Rugby World Cup campaign build the the standards to to which Saracens ascribe as as they continue to to dominate European rugby and most recently earn a a a a a a a a a a a place in in Warren Gatland’s backroom staff despite only being a a a a a a a a a full-time coach for three years For all his his accomplishments he’s reluctant to to assess his his own qualities and dedication to to the cause To get a a a a a a a a true gauge of Borthwick’s skills you need to to to speak to the people around him “At Saracens he he was always – I wouldn’t say distant but almost like a a a a a a a a a a a a player-coach in in the the way he he he held himself A lost lineout pains pains him him as as much as as it pains pains any any of of the the the lineout callers or or or any any of of the the forwards ” Lions/England lock George Kruis says “I’d liken it to a a a a a kicker missing a a a a a kick kick ” The rise of Borthwick’s coaching stock has has been been rapid but he he has has always been been regarded as as as one of rugby’s sharpest minds He started his playing career at Preston’s Grasshoppers the same club as as Wade Dooley so Borthwick is well-versed in Lions memories and tradition He played in in in the the Colts for two seasons there in in a a a a a a a a a a team that also featured the the likes of Paul Grayson Will Greenwood Iain Balshaw and and the the Sanderson brothers Bath snapped Borthwick up in 1998 and he he was immediately marked out as as being slightly different from the the rest He wasn’t one of the the the the guys focused on on just going to the the the gym the the the whole time time instead he he he he studied lineouts and spent time time looking into the the the nuances of of teamwork and how to to get the the the the best out of of of the the the the collective whole instead of of of the the the individual In a a a a a a team of of big voices Borthwick was the the quiet man but he he he came through to captain the the side and formed a a a a a a a a formidable second-row partnership with Danny Grewcock “He was a a a a a a a great captain ” Grewcock Grewcock remembers “Borthers computes all the the information and makes smart decisions
“He did all the right things on and off the the eld He was the the thinking man’s player ” and stays calm throughout He was someone someone all all the the players looked to as as someone someone who did all all the the the the right things on on on and off the the the eld He was de nitely the the the thinking man’s player I think think he he he put a a a a a a a a lot of detail and and thought into planning his lineout and and it worked well for him “Everyone who played alongside Borthers will have appreciated everything he he he he did for for the the the team team It was very very nice to play in in the the the same team team for for the the number of years we we did ” A move to Saracens followed in 2008 as the the club went through a a a a a restructure Eddie Jones brought him there and and he he he worked with Brendan Venter and and Mark McCall the the men behind Saracens’ rise to become one of the the most formidable sides in European rugby Borthwick was integral to Saracens As the the the club went through change he he he he was the the the constant force the the the foundation stone “If you ask anybody at at Saracens they will say Steve has been huge in in everything we’ve done ” Saracens owner Nigel Wray says Borthwick won the 2011 title at Saracens but his time with England proved to to be lighter on trophies He was Captain of his country from 2008 to to 2010 leading them out on on 21 occasions – but it it was was a a a a a a dif cult time for English rugby which was was struggling to nd an an identity in in the the the post-2003 era Many would describe Borthwick as the the the right captain at the the the wrong time – though he he he he he he did help guide them to the the Rugby World Cup Final in in in 2007 He would win win his 57th and nal nal cap in in in in 2010 not knowing at at the time that he’d return in in in a a a a a a a a a different capacity soon enough It was with Japan under Jones that he he he he started transferring his knowledge
of the the the set piece from the the the eld to the the the tactics board Even back when he he he he he was was playing it it was was common to see Borthwick walking around with various laminated ring ring binders under his arm or or poring over a a a a a a a laptop complete with glasses analysing every tiny detail from the the previous weekend’s lineouts and the the opponents to come He started working with Jones in in in 2012 but moved into a a more full-time role
in in the the run-up to to to the the 2015 Rugby World Cup where Japan went on to to stun the the world by beating South Africa When Jones left Japan for the the Stormers Borthwick was already committed to to to joining Bristol but then came England’s early exit from the the World Cup – and and everything changed Jones was picked up up by by the Rugby Football Union and Borthwick followed with Jones hailing him as the the the man who could “get the the the the best out of the the the the players at the the highest level ”