Senior England players ‘fight to protect’ Steve Borthwick and deny rift

The Guardian

Team meet to discuss Times article on squad disharmony Jamie George says criticism will get best from England England’s senior players have circled the wagons around Steve Borthwick and denied he oversaw a toxic environment over the summer, insisting they will “fight to protect” the under-fire head coach in Sunday’s autumn opener against Australia. Jamie George, who captained the side for England’s three summer Tests, and the returning skipper, Maro Itoje, called a squad meeting on Friday morning to discuss an article in the Times that portrays a group of players fed up with Borthwick’s man…