Steve Borthwick is closing in on securing Ian Peel’s services as England’s scrum coach when Richard Cockerill departs after the Six Nations.
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According to The Rugby Paper, he made the Saracens man his number one target when he took over from Eddie Jones in December and made his move when Cockerill accepted a job with Top 14 outfit Montpellier.
The former Newcastle Falcons forward has been involved with the national age-grade side for two years, firstly as an assistant, and won the Junior World Championship in successive years (2013 and 2014) as well as reaching the 2015 final.
He also led England to the 2015 U20 Six Nations title having finished runners-up the season before.
Peel, alongside Alex Sanderson and Joe Shaw, headed to New Zealand in 2017 to further develop their knowledge and his set-piece defence ideas were used by Super Rugby franchise Crusaders in their final victory over the Lions.
Set-piece is a key part of Saracens’ game and Peel has been instrumental in the club’s success at the line-out and scrum time.
As a player, Peel made 122 Premiership appearances for Newcastle going on to coach the Falcons’ Academy side in his first position away from the field. He also had stints with National One side Tynedale and at Sedbergh School and Barnard Castle – both renowned rugby schools that have produced a number of England internationals.
Five players Steve Borthwick should DROP – and who should play against Ireland
#1. Jack van Poortvliet
Evening Standard 4/10: “Failed to take control at the base of the ruck in a messy performance.”
Telegraph 3/10: “His job was to quicken the tempo but instead presided over a slow ruck and shanked a horrible box kick. Was hauled off for Mitchell minutes into the second half.”
Rugby Pass 4/10: “Very much a case of master and the apprentice, the rookie England scrum-half getting schooled by his oppsite number Dupont. Gone on 46 and not before time.”
Planet Rugby 3/10: “He was taken off just six minutes after half-time, and Borthwick would not have been blamed for doing it before then. The French pack put him under immense pressure, but he also made a few daft decisions on attack and made silly errors.”
Mail Online 3/10: “Too ponderous from base and replaced early in second half.”
Replacement: Alex Mitchell
