STEVE BORTHWICK HAS refused to comment on Felix Jones’s contractual commitments with England, insisting that his full focus is on the upcoming Autumn Nations Series.
Jones, who was defence coach in Borthwick’s backroom, handed in his notice in August despite not having an alternative job lined up, and the RFU have indicated that they intend to hold him to his 12-month notice period.
The Dubliner, who helped South Africa win the 2019 and 2023 World Cups, has been working remotely since telling England he wanted to leave and Borthwick declined to discuss his post-autumn future with the set-up.
“It’s not something I’m considering because as you’d expect my attention is on the games that are right in front of us,” Borthwick said.
“Analysis is one of Felix’s great strengths as a coach and he’s been analysing and studying the opposition. He’s also been doing the handover and transition to Joe El-Abd to take our defence forward.”
Jones’s exit followed the departure of head of strength and conditioning Aled Walters to take up a similar role with Ireland, and Borthwick denies England have been disrupted by the upheaval to his coaching team.
El-Abd has taken over the defence while performing his director of rugby duties with Oyonnax until the end of the season and Dan Tobin is in charge of conditioning until Phil Morrow can be prised away from Saracens.
Jones is claimed to have made his decision because of an “unstable working environment” but Borthwick, speaking about the changes for the first time, insists there is continuity in the make-up of his back room staff.
“I see that as being pretty seamless in terms of the way we operate. There is a whole lot of consistency there in Richard Wigglesworth, Tom Harrison, Kevin Sinfield and Andrew Strawbridge,” Borthwick said.
“Clearly there’s a change with Felix deciding he didn’t want to work with the England team going forward, but Joe’s a coach I’ve known and respected for a long time.
“We know each other pretty well and he’s also somebody who has visited the camp many times previously. He has a pretty good understanding of how we operate.”
