With 14 yellow cards and a red in 2026, England's head coach wants his players to stop gifting opponents numerical advantages.
Steve Borthwick has told his England squad to wise up and treat keeping 15 players on the pitch as non-negotiable ahead of a defining month for the team. The warning follows a troubling run of form in which England have lost five of their last seven Tests.
The numbers explain his frustration. England have collected 14 yellow cards and one red card so far in 2026, and playing short-handed has played a part in the poor results. Borthwick also expects a major battle at the breakdown in the weeks ahead, which makes cool heads and clean technique even more important.
The coach has another headache in the gap between domestic and international refereeing. Different interpretations in the Premiership, he believes, are making it harder for England players to adjust when they step up to Test rugby. The latest complication is a mid-season law change outlawing the so-called hip-drop tackle, which has left players adapting on the fly.
Prop Ellis Genge did not hold back on the timing of that change, calling it "berserk" to alter the rules partway through a campaign. Even so, the experienced forward accepted that England cannot hide behind law tweaks or inconsistent officiating. Their discipline has to improve in the Nations Championship fixtures, and the players know it.
