08 January 2023 , 11:53
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Kevin Sinfield, whose fundraising exploits have topped £7 million, has revealed his first challenge as England defence coach.
The cross-code rugby legend has set himself the task of persuading team boss Steve Borthwick’s oldest son to swap his Australia shirt for an England one.
“Steve referenced his boys and one of them wearing an Aussie shirt,” Sinfield said as he started his new job. “We want that boy to be in an England shirt.
“And girls to also be in that white shirt. That’s the bit we can hopefully inspire. Hopefully it comes across how important that is for us.”
Borthwick had earlier revealed the greeting he received from nine-year-old Hunter when returning home following his appointment to arguably the biggest job in rugby.
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“I stepped in the door and Hunter is running towards me,” he said. “He is carrying this ball in his hand and I’m thinking to myself ‘he is going to give me this great hug’.
“He ran straight past me, dived on the floor on the far side of the living room and said: ‘That is the winning try, daddy’.
Steve Borthwick and Sinfield helped Leicester win the Premiership before answering the national call (Getty Images)“So one problem is that I missed out on my hug. The second was he was wearing a Wallaby shirt. His mother is to blame for that!”
Both Borthwick and Sinfield are conscience of the need to reconnect the English public with the national team after Eddie Jones’ reign ended in a chorus of boos and disenchantment at Twickenham in November.
Stuart Lancaster worked hard to strengthen that link during his time in charge between 2012-15 but the progress he made was undone by England bombing out of the World Cup historically early on home soil.
Stuart Lancaster worked hard to reconnect the national team with the English public (Getty)Jones’ mission statement, on replacing Lancaster, was less about winning heart and minds than World Cups. Everything else rather took a back seat.
But Sinfield, who revealed Lancaster had been in touch since his appointment, fully recognises the importance of the nation being on the journey together.
“Players don’t forget where they come from,” he said. “They don’t forget the person who was there on Tuesday and Thursday night holding a tackle bag. They don’t forget the person who picked them up when mum and dad weren’t available.
Sinfield holds his Special Award alongside Rob Burrow at SPOTY in December (PA)“It’s important for us to remember that and thank and celebrate those people and keep encouraging them to be part of our game.”
He added: “When Steve talks, as he has, about hearing the ‘roar’ at Twickenham he means much wider than that. He means within our communities.
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“We need more people playing the game and coming through turnstiles to watch the sport to help it grow. If we can achieve that rugby will get enough players to ensure it thrives for years and years.”
In the immediate term what England need to do is get back to the business of winning after a year in which they lost SIX times.
Scotland hold the Calcutta Cup after last year's win over England at Murrayfield (David Rogers/Getty Images)They plan to do it by reigniting the passion for the team - both within players and supporters up and down the land.
“It’s not lost on me how important the Six Nations is,” said Sinfield, casting his gaze forward to England's opener against Scotland on February 4.
“We all know what it’s like when anybody plays against England. But we've got to be passionate about who WE are and what WE do.”
Sinfield accepts he is still something of a union rookie, but vows not to let that hinder him.
“Steve has openly asked me to challenge him,” he said. “It’s my job to see that the team is in the best possible place, not to sit here and nod my head.”