Borthwick delivers reminder to referee about Ireland's breakdown tactics

The English head coach had a message for experienced New Zealand referee Ben O’Keeffe

England head coach Steve Borthwick at the launch of the 2025 Guinness Men’s Six Nations Championship at the Colosseum in Rome. Pic: Dan Sheridan, Inpho

Steve Borthwick has put discipline at the top of the agenda ahead of England’s Guinness Six Nations clash with defending champions Ireland in Dublin this Saturday.

The English head coach is insisting his players keep their concentration and accuracy in order to successfully repel Ireland’s multi-phase attack but he has also issued a subtle warning to match referee Ben O’Keeffe regarding Ireland’s breakdown defence tactics ahead of the opening-round showdown at Aviva Stadium.

Experienced New Zealand referee O’Keeffe took charge of the English Premiership clash between Gloucester and Leicester Tigers on Saturday ahead of his return to Test rugby and Borthwick has signposted the breakdown this weekend as an important area to police with regards to Ireland’s approach without the ball at the ruck.

“I think you saw Ireland's attack on the opposition breakdown - you see the same thing with Leinster,” Borthwick said last week as he attended the Six Nations launch in Rome. “What'll be interesting is how that is officiated.

“World Rugby talked last week about some factors of how they want that officiated and making sure it's legal and within the laws. That's going to be an important area for our referee on the day.” 

Whatever about Ireland’s defensive tactics, the England boss, whose side narrowly defeated Ireland at Twickenham 11 months ago to end their bid for back-to-back Grand Slams under Andy Farrell, wants his players to maintain their discipline when out of possession. He also dismissed the possibility that Ireland would be diminished with Farrell in charge, defence coach Simon Easterby stepping up in the interim with the main man on sabbatical as British & Irish Lions head coach.

“The coaching team's been together so long and they've worked together for such a long period, I don't sense that would be a great factor. In a sense I think there'll be a lot of consistency. I think when you're picking so many players from one team as well....is it 23 of the 36 from Leinster? They know each other and understand each other.

“When they play their phase attack, when they bring that multi-phase attack they can bring, they're very, very dangerous. They can play phase upon phase and it becomes a test of concentration, there's a test of discipline and they're looking for some opportunities, and some lapse in concentration from the defender and then they'll get you - it's four, five phases, six, eight, 10 phases.

“You've got to keep concentrated on it with discipline, I think that's the crux of this battle. 

“They've really started kicking many more contestable kicks and I'd be interested whether they're going to do that; whether they're going to bring a contestable game or are they going to play their phase game because I think it's the phase game that's the real threat. When they play that they are arguably the best in the world.” 

Borthwick used Leinster’s defeat of Bath at Aviva Stadium in the final round of the Champions Cup pool stages nine days ago as an example of Ireland’s ability to punish lapses in accuracy.

“At 52 minutes, Bath are still winning, and Bath are in their own half and they make an error and that's when Leinster capitalise. They bring the carries, then Doris carries it, they have Snyman - who I know won't be in the Ireland team - but you can imagine what they'll bring, it's Doris, it's Aki, it's James Lowe. And that came from making the mistake of not getting out of your own half correctly, and that's a picture of Ireland's threat.

"If you don't get out, and bring pressure on, then they have carriers and phase game - Gibson-Park starts running - and they have that situation in multi-phase, that's what they've got.”