The Rugby Football Union has no plans to begin talks with Steve Borthwick over extending his contract beyond 2027 “for the foreseeable future” despite England’s 11-match winning streak and autumn clean sweep.
Borthwick’s contract runs until the end of 2027 but with England halfway through the current World Cup cycle and currently third in the world rankings, the RFU chief executive, Bill Sweeney, has no immediate intention of discussing an extension in a sea change from the union’s previous approach.
During his tenure, Sweeney has made it a priority to improve England’s succession planning, appointing Nigel Redman as team performance director, but the chief executive has raised the prospect of Borthwick heading into the 2027 World Cup unclear if he will continue beyond the competition.
Indeed, with a little more than 18 months and only 17 matches before England begin World Cup preparations, Sweeney is in no rush to tie Borthwick down.
Borthwick’s predecessor, Eddie Jones, was appointed in late 2015 through to the 2019 World Cup but in January 2018 his contract was extended through to 2021 by the then chief executive, Steve Brown. After taking England to the World Cup final in 2019, Jones’s contract was further extended in early 2020 through to 2023 by Sweeney before he was sacked in late 2022.
Before Jones, Stuart Lancaster was initially appointed on an interim basis but was appointed full-time after the 2012 Six Nations on a four-year deal. In October 2014, however, Lancaster was given a new long-term contract until 2020, only for England to bomb at their home World Cup in 2015, prompting his exit.
Borthwick’s stock has never been higher as head coach after finishing 2025 with victory over Argentina on Sunday. The 46-year-old came under pressure in 2024 after a series of narrow defeats left England ranked seventh in the world but having won every match since beginning 2025 with a defeat in Dublin, there is optimism he will end England’s five-year wait for a Six Nations title next year.
“We obviously back this coaching group and are really happy with it,” said Sweeney. “We haven’t had those conversations now, and we are not planning to in the foreseeable future, no. His contract goes through to 2027. We are obviously delighted with the direction it is going in.
“We actually saw it in 2024. It’s easy with hindsight now, but those narrow losses in 24, we knew the trajectory the team was on. Narrow loss to Australia, the loss to New Zealand that could have gone the other way. I think what you’ve seen this year with the depth that the squad is building, the style of play he is developing, we are really happy with that. We haven’t got into any discussions about post-27.”
Sweeney was speaking after the release of the RFU’s latest annual report which shows a net loss of £1.9m for the financial year after generating the second-highest revenue in its history. The accounts show a far more secure picture than the previous year’s which reported losses of £42m – largely due to fewer home fixtures because of the World Cup. Last year’s report prompted a scandal over Sweeney’s £358,000 bonus that took his earnings to £1.1m. The latest accounts show that Sweeney was paid £702,000, down £40,000 on his previous basic salary.
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Bill Sweeney, pictured with Jamie George, is confident the RFU will win its battle with Richmond council over Twickenham. Photograph: Dan Mullan/RFU/The RFU Collection/Getty Images
Sweeney, meanwhile, has expressed confidence that Richmond council will next May grant the RFU permission to host up to 15 concerts a year, which would enable the union to fund a £660m revamp of Twickenham. He insisted that staying remains the RFU’s “plan A” but again warned other options are on the table if Richmond council rules against the union. Wembley is understood to be among those options while Birmingham City have unveiled plans for a new stadium and expressed an interest in hosting rugby.
The RFU’s preference is to stay at Twickenham but, as revealed by the Guardian, the union was dealt a blow when Richmond council decreed that the limit of three non-sporting events – and only one not on a Saturday – must remain. Licensing and planning applications are run in parallel and the RFU will still make a planning application next year and, if successful, reapply for a new licence.
“I met with Richmond a couple of weeks ago,” said Sweeney. “Good conversations, good dialogue. Very positive. They want to support us in terms of the direction we’re going in but it’s a process that’s on track. We’ve laid out very clearly for them what it means for us. Those events are essential for us if we’re to reinvest in the stadium and the stadium needs reinvestment to keep pace with other stadiums. It’s not a grandstanding negotiation tactic.
“And our plan A is to stay. We contribute over £90m to the local economy and well over £100m to the greater London economy. They want us to stay here but purely from a financial validity point, it’s essential we get those extra events. I’m confident. You can’t put all your eggs in one basket, so you have to have a plan B and even a plan C and D which are viable.
“We’re confident with the plans that we’ve got in place. We’re confident we can attract all the rugby events we want here and sufficient entertainment events as well. If we get those 15, it’s a very financially viable model.”
