England vs Australia: Why Jay Pepper has been on Steve Borthwick’s radar since 2022

When Steve Borthwick was appointed England coach in December 2022 – nine months before the World Cup – he had a long to-do list.

There has been a look at a promising Newcastle player who was recommended by his former World Cup-winning teammate.

“As soon as I took the job, Richard Hill talked to me about Jay Pepper,” Borthwick told BBC Sport.

“I went to Newcastle to meet him in 2023 and watched him play. He only played 30 minutes, but he was amazing at the time.”

Bieber has quickly established himself as a regular for Newcastle in the 2023-24 season, having made his debut as a 19-year-old the previous season.

He moved to Bath in the summer of 2024 and helped them become League Champions with a string of impressive performances, fending off strong competition in the back row to win Man of the Match honors in the semi-final, and again in the final.

His form has led to Bath’s head of rugby, Johan van Graan, comparing him to New Zealand great Richie McCaw, and he will start for England against Australia on Saturday.

But while his rise may seem linear, the truth is different.

Bieber had to stop playing for a year when he was six years old due to arthritis, and is still under treatment and takes injections every two weeks., external After a problem with his right ankle when he was 14 years old.

His father, Martin, told BBC Sport: “It was a shock for all of us and a bump in the road for him.”

“As a family we didn’t really know what was happening, but he got great immediate help from the doctors and nurses, especially at the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle.

“He was well taken care of and it was part of his life since he was five or six years old.

He added: “He appreciates his ability to play, because there were times when he was not able to do things that were frustrating and confusing when I was young.”

“He’s managing it, and he appreciates every minute he’s on the field now.”