Borthwick and Itoje reject reports of England squad rift – ‘Not accurate’

England head coach Steve Borthwick and captain Maro Itoje have strongly rejected newspaper reports claiming friction and lost faith within the squad. Speaking after England's 45-22 Nations Championship victory over Australia at Allianz Stadium Twickenham on Sunday, both men stated that the allegations in The Times did not accurately represent the squad's actual environment.

The newspaper report alleged player discontent regarding Borthwick's coaching and an altercation with Ellis Genge during the summer. Itoje publicly defended Borthwick as a world-class coach with the squad's full support, while Borthwick noted that several former England coaches had reached out to offer encouragement.