BBC Sport

Prep time for Wallabies a challenge - Borthwick

Q: What is this sports story about?

England head coach Steve Borthwick says his players have tried to make most of limited preparation time for their Test against a comparatively battle-hardened Australia.

Q: Who published this story?

This story was published by BBC Sport on October 27, 2026 and curated on Africa Front.

Q: What related topics does this story cover?

Trade & AfCFTA, Infrastructure, African Technology

October 27, 2026

Share Report:

Prep time for Wallabies a challenge - Borthwick

Published27 October 2026

England coach Steve Borthwick says his players have tried to make most of limited preparation time for their Test against a comparatively battle-hardened Australia.

Borthwick has just finished working with his squad during a three-day training camp before they return to their club sides on Wednesday.

England face Australia in their opening match of this autumn's Nations Championship campaign at Allianz Stadium in Twickenham on Sunday, 8 November.

While England must balance their international preparations with the demands of the Premiership season, the Wallabies have much more time to focus on forthcoming matches.

Australia have played 10 Tests since July, including matches against South Africa and New Zealand.

"It's a case of doing more of less," Borthwick told BBC rugby union correspondent Chris Jones.

"Identifying the clear priorities and chasing them and not being side-tracked, not deviating from that.

"I think this is one of the challenges, particularly balancing the different stakeholders [the clubs and the national set-up]."

England's Feyi-Waboso set to return to action

Published1 day ago

England's Feyi-Waboso set to return to action

Published1 day ago

Pepper to miss England games and Carreras' season over

Published22 hours ago

Pepper to miss England games and Carreras' season over

Published22 hours ago

England's preparations have also been affected by the Prem schedule, with players involved in Sunday's fixtures having less time for full squad training.

"We had a session today really that was affected obviously by the fact that we had a Sunday game in Prem Rugby," Borthwick explained.

"Fortunately, we don't have any Sunday games this coming week in Prem Rugby, which I'm pleased about.

"So that should allow players to be recovered in a proper run into the Test match."

Borthwick acknowledged the challenge of balancing club and international commitments, but said playing at the weekend could benefit England.

"They'll go back and play the rugby and in so many ways that will be a positive for us for next weekend," he said.

"The players are match fit at club level, playing regularly at club level, and as long as they don't get injured, then they're all available for selection next week, then that will be positive.

"I'd say on one side, I think it's a real strength of English rugby that the players have such great loyalty and passion for their clubs as we saw very evidently in this last round with the derbies that went on.

"They are team-mates and best of mates the next day for a couple of days [with England] and then they go back to being rivals again until they come back into camp next week."

Borthwick also identified the breakdown as an area where England need to adapt to the demands of international rugby.

He pointed to the recent European fixtures, in which English clubs collectively lost more of their own breakdown ball and won less opposition breakdown ball than teams from other competing nations.

"Part of my job is identify those bits of where I need to bridge from where the players are in Prem rugby to where they are in Test rugby," he said.

"The level of competition [at the breakdown] is at a different level in Test rugby."