Steve Borthwick: Is Italy’s defeat the beginning of the end for the England coach?

England rolled a single dice repeatedly, flying through the air in hopes of winning an aerial contest.

They did that sometimes.

Kadan Morley came down with a couple early to gain ground, but when their number was not decided, England did not want or could not turn away and find another game plan.

“Questions need to be asked about England’s strategy and approach – about how they think the game should be played at this level,” England’s Rugby World Cup winner Matt Dawson told BBC Radio 5 Live.

“The way England are playing they will not be able to win international matches.”

They don’t make many friends either.

It’s hard to like their style – their high kicks and lack of flair. Now England are no longer winning this, and fans’ patience is quickly wearing thin.

Itoje insisted afterwards that the fault lay with him and his fellow players.

He told BBC Sport: “The coaches helped us perform well, and we as players have to take responsibility. It’s us – me as captain and the guys on the field.”

However, no one else would give Borthwick and his regime a free pass.

Whatever the result against France, this season, which arrived with such high hopes and suffered such lows, will be closely scrutinized as to why England have underachieved.

Borthwick will have to explain his role in it. His bosses at the Rugby Football Union will have to consider whether he has any further role to play.

In many ways, they will be reluctant to change team management.

The last Rugby World Cup saw a late change of coach when Eddie Jones was dropped less than a year before the France 2023 finals.

While Borthwick, his successor, led England to within striking distance of the final, he suffered from a lack of preparation.

Given his time with the team, he made 12 appearances for a year that ended just three weeks ago.

There are plenty of potential successors and candidates for one of the biggest jobs in the sport.

Both Scott Robertson, who was sacked as All Blacks coach in January, and Franco Smith, who has led Glasgow to new heights, have held talks with the RFU about different roles in the past., external

Pat Lahm, who combined steel and silk at Bristol and coped admirably with a raft of injuries this season, has made no secret of his international ambitions.

If the England manager is favoured, and he was last time, Andy Farrell and Shaun Edwards have done a very impressive job for England’s Six Nations opponents.

It all comes with caveats, complexities and uncertainties.

The problem for the RFU is that the status quo is so-so.