England: Steve Borthwick to be confirmed as new head coach in coming days
- Published
Steve Borthwick took over at Leicester Tigers for the 2019-20 season
Leicester boss Steve Borthwick is set to be confirmed as the new England head coach, with an announcement expected in the coming days.
The 43-year-old has been the overwhelming favourite for the role since Eddie Jones was sacked earlier in December.
The former England captain's first match in charge will be the Six Nations opener against Scotland on 4 February.
Borthwick will leave the Tigers after two-and-a-half years at Welford Road.
He orchestrated Leicester's hard-fought 23-16 win over Clermont Auvergne in the Champions Cup on Saturday.
However, he was unable to confirm afterwards if he would still be at the helm for the Premiership match with Gloucester on 24 December, instead praising his side's ability to win in adversity.
"Right now I want to enjoy this win," he told BBC Radio 5 live.
"This team was built post the Covid pandemic and has had a lot of challenges through that period.
"I couldn't be more proud of how hard they train and their desire to want do well for each other and this club."
It is thought the Leicester squad and staff are now prepared for Borthwick's departure, while the official confirmation from the Rugby Football Union could come as early as Monday.
Borthwick was initially expected to take over from Jones after the 2023 Rugby World Cup, but the latter's sacking a year out from the tournament in France has accelerated the process.
The ex-Saracens and Bath lock retired from playing in 2014 and has built a formidable coaching CV since.
After working with Jones as an assistant with Japan and then England, Borthwick moved to Leicester in 2020, with the club at the bottom of the Premiership table.
Borthwick masterminded a startling transformation, culminating in the Tigers winning the Premiership title in June 2022.
While this campaign has been less consistent, Borthwick leaves the club in excellent shape. They are fifth in the Premiership table and unbeaten in the Champions Cup, with a raft of home-grown players capped by England during his tenure.
Borthwick's defence coach at the Tigers, rugby league great Kevin Sinfield, is tipped to join his England coaching staff.