Steve Borthwick tells his England winners: "We've got to be better than that"

12 February 2023 , 23:24

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Borthwick: “It’s a small step forward and that’s what we’ve got to keep doing." (Image: Getty Images)

Steve Borthwick saw his England rugby team win for the first time - then told them they must get better.

The Red Rose boss refused to get carried away with a 31-14 defeat of Italy which lifted England into third spot in the Six Nations - not after seeing Ireland and France serve up a classic in Dublin and classy Scotland thrash Wales.

Borthwick said: “It’s a small step forward and that’s what we’ve got to keep doing. There was a lot of disappointment [against Scotland] but the players worked hard to remedy that.

“I’m proud of them, but we’ve got to be better than that.”

England scored five tries, including one for an emotional Jack Willis two years after he wrecked his knee in the same fixture.

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But, as was the case in losing to Scotland, they faded in the second half against opponents they have never failed to beat before rallying to get the job done.

Jack Willis scores England's first try at Twickenham (Getty Images)

Borthwick said: “We’re in a situation where we’re in a competition. You see the games [on Saturday], high quality games.

“These teams are in the final year of their four-year plan. They’ve used the four years really well and now they’re putting the finishing touches to it.

“They know their selection, they’re arriving at the World Cup with the right number of caps, they’ve spent the right amount of time together as players and a coaching group. We’re not in that situation.”

Ange Capuozzo of Italy makes a break past Ollie Hassell-Collins as Italy trouble England in second half (Getty Images)

England will still be favourites to beat winless Wales in Cardiff on Saturday week but captain Owen Farrell preached caution.

“I’ve never played an easy game in Wales,” he said. “We know it’s going to be a tough game.”

PLAYER RATINGS

ENGLAND: Steward 6; Malins 7, Slade (Smith 72) 7, Lawrence 8, Hassell-Collins (Arundell 55, 7) 6; Farrell 6, Van Poortvliet (Mitchell 60, 7) 6; Genge (Vunipola 55 6) 7, George (Walker 74 6) 7, Sinckler 7, Itoje 7, Chessum 7, Ludlam 7, Willis (Earl 53, 6) 9, Dombrandt (Isiekwe 66, 6) 7.

ITALY: Capuozzo 7; Padovani 6, Brex 6, Morisi 7 (Bruno 47, 6), Menoncello 5; Allan 6, Varney (Fusco 62, 7) 5; Fischetti (Zanni 56) 5, Nicotera (Bigi 60, 6), Riccioni (Ferrari 48, 5), N Cannone (Iachizzi 74, 5) 6, Ruzza 5, Negri 6, L Lamaro (capt, Zuliani 23, 6) 5, Cannone (Polledri 57, 7) 7.

Alex Spink