- The England head coach wants to make a key coaching change within his team
- Steve Borthwick believes he has found his replacement for Aled Walters
- Phil Morrow is wanted by Borthwick but is currently tied to the Saracens
Steve Borthwick has identified Phil Morrow of Saracens as the final piece of his England rebuild.
But the national head coach’s plan to make Morrow, a former British & Irish Lions assistant, his head of strength and conditioning is not going to be a straightforward task amid a potential conflict of interest between club and country.
Borthwick wants Morrow to replace the highly-rated Aled Walters in time for his team’s four November Tests.
But the fact he is currently employed by Saracens as group general manager and performance director complicates a potential move to the RFU.
Morrow recently signed a new four-year deal at Saracens where his remit has been expanded far beyond just the fitness of the club’s first team squad.
England head coach Steve Borthwick (pictured) has identified a new coaching addition he wants to make to his team
Borthwick wants to bring Phil Morrow (right) into England’s set-up ahead of upcoming November Tests
England’s move for Morrow is complicated as he remains in a contract with the Saracens
It has been suggested Morrow could work with England as successor to Walters this autumn and in the 2025 Six Nations while staying at Saracens for the remainder of this season.
However, such a scenario could prove problematic. Under the terms of English rugby’s new Professional Game Partnership, England’s head of strength and conditioning will have oversight of the fitness plans of the country’s leading players.
There is a concern that if Morrow works for both Saracens and England at the same time, he might end up privy to information that would benefit his current employers.
It is likely then that the 10 Gallagher Premiership clubs may have to sign off on Morrow’s appointment.
Such a situation, which is likely to lead to a delay, will no doubt frustrate Borthwick given the autumn campaign looms on the horizon.
Borthwick earlier this week confirmed the appointment of Joe El-Abd as England’s new defence coach. El-Abd will be with England for their next two campaigns but will also have to combine that role with his current job in charge of French side Oyonnax.
El-Abd will, in time, be the full-time replacement for double World Cup winner Felix Jones who has been marginalised and is now working out his 12-month notice period remotely after also quitting the England set-up.
England are search for a replacement after the highly-rated Aled Walters (pictured) decided to leave
Borthwick is attempting to build an England side capable of becoming the world’s best team
England fly-half Marcus Smith starts for the first time this season for Harlequins against Newcastle on Saturday.
Smith, who was Borthwick’s first-choice No 10 in New Zealand in the summer, started his club’s narrow defeat by Sale on the bench last Sunday on the opening weekend of the new Gallagher Premiership campaign.
In Saturday’s two other fixtures, Saracens host Sale and Exeter travel to Northampton.
Both the Saints and the Chiefs lost their opening matches so will be looking for an instant response in round two.
