Steve Borthwick rarely expresses his frustrations publicly, so when he does, it signifies a genuine sense of discontent. 'I don’t think any of us want rugby union to turn into Aussie Rules,' muttered England’s head coach, candidly voicing his disapproval of the new refereeing crackdown on kick chase 'escort' defenders, which he believes could steer the sport down a regrettable path. 'I am not sure everyone wants to watch more kicking and more scrums.' This comment, somewhat ironic given his team’s limited expansive play during his first year in charge, nonetheless highlights Borthwick’s legitimate concerns. Over the past fortnight, the game’s dynamics have shifted dramatically, favoring athletic kick chasers who now enjoy unprecedented freedom to hassle full-backs under high balls. These defenders can no longer rely on 'holding their line' or skillfully blocking incoming players attempting aerial challenges. This change has led to more aerial contests, increased pressure, more knock-ons, and a greater incentive for teams to resort to a series of high kicks rather than engaging in more creative play. It’s akin to altering the lbw law just before a major cricket Test series, and the repercussions are already evident in England’s lineup for their match against South Africa.

As recently as March, England dropped Freddie Steward to develop a more cohesive attacking strategy and pose a greater threat with the ball in hand. Now, George Furbank is out again, and 'Safe Hands' Steward is back, specifically due to his ability to handle high kicks from opponents. Rugby’s brief era of enlightenment seems to be waning. This shift could create a perception issue beyond just a couple of coaches rethinking their strategies. It’s also not what World Rugby intended when it appointed Australian Brett Robinson as its new chair, aiming to make the game more appealing to casual fans. Typical of rugby, one might say. Memories of last week’s thrilling 10-try match against Australia are still fresh, the world champion Springboks are in town, and the sport’s knack for tweaking laws with unintended consequences is still very much alive. No wonder Borthwick, who meticulously plans every detail, is so exasperated. 'It is certainly not the direction we’ve been trying to take our game in,' he affirmed, choosing his words carefully.

Such changes make an already challenging job even more difficult. Borthwick suggests that every top coach will now likely adopt a similar approach and instruct their teams to kick more often. Creative players may once again lose out to those who excel in stopping the opposition. If teams consistently opt for high kicks and rely on the resulting scraps, rugby will suffer in terms of tactical diversity and charm. Robinson, who narrowly won the World Rugby chairmanship with 27 votes to 25 over France’s Abdelatif Benazzi, will closely monitor the situation, especially with the decision on the permanent acceptance of the new '20-minute red card' rule postponed pending a full analysis of its impact on the current Autumn Nations Series. The immediate question is whether these changes enhance England’s chances of victory on Saturday. The Springboks, with their key players back, seem well-prepared for any challenge. Will they be concerned about Ben Spencer, arguably the best kicking scrum-half in the Premiership, being dropped in favor of Leicester’s Jack van Poortvliet after a couple of close English losses? Unlikely. Will they be encouraged by the absence of Tom Curry and Manny Feyi-Waboso due to injury? Almost certainly.

Potentially, the only player, aside from Steward, who might force a reevaluation is Curry’s replacement, Sam Underhill, whose tackling will bolster England’s defensive system. Amid discussions of a rematch of last year’s World Cup semi-final, it’s worth noting that England only has five starters left from that game. Simply replicating what worked at the Stade de France that night won’t be easy. Perhaps the team sheet is irrelevant. After a series of close defeats, what England might need most is a long-awaited change of fortune. So far this week, luck hasn’t been on their side: even the team’s media officer, initially struck down with food poisoning, now has the flu. Welcome to top-level coaching, where expecting the unexpected is all part of the job.

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