England's players have been left feeling "hurt" following the publication of a newspaper report alleging a rift with head coach Steve Borthwick, according to Jamie George. The claims suggested that serious friction had developed between the squad and their coach, eliciting a clear and emotive response from within the England camp.
The published story reported on an apparent divide between Borthwick and the players dating back to the summer. Directly addressing the matter, George stated that the team was genuinely impacted by the assertions, confirming that the group felt hurt by the public allegations of internal turmoil with their head coach.
Beyond the claims of unrest, George took notable issue with the specific moment the piece was released. Calling the timing of the newspaper article "shocking," George underscored the squad's dismay at seeing the allegations of a summer dispute resurface in the media when they did.
The emergence of the report comes at an important juncture, surfacing immediately ahead of Sunday's Nations Championship clash with Australia. As Borthwick and England prepare for the encounter against Australia, the squad faces the challenge of putting the reported rift behind them ahead of Sunday's fixture.
Explore our automated Poisson goal projections, Banker of the Day, and high-probability multi-set accumulator builder.
