Rugby-Sinfield to leave England role, Strawbridge joins as temporary coach

Kevin Sinfield is to leave his England assistant coaching role after the summer tour of Japan and New Zealand, Steve Borthwick said on Thursday, while also announcing he has signed up New Zealander Andrew Strawbridge as a temporary skills consultant. Strawbridge will be on board only for the first four weeks of the Six Nations amid a coaching reshuffle that sees Felix Jones arriving after helping South Africa claim back-to-back World Cup triumphs to take over as defence coach.

Kevin Sinfield is to leave his England assistant coaching role after the summer tour of Japan and New Zealand, Steve Borthwick said on Thursday, while also announcing he has signed up New Zealander Andrew Strawbridge as a temporary skills consultant.

Strawbridge will be on board only for the first four weeks of the Six Nations amid a coaching reshuffle that sees Felix Jones arriving after helping South Africa claim back-to-back World Cup triumphs to take over as defence coach. Sinfield moves to coaching individual skills and the kickers, Richard Wigglesworth continues as attack coach and Tom Harrison remains in charge of the scrum.

Sinfield is a hugely respected part of the set-up, not only as a coach - he worked with Borthwick at Leicester - and a vastly experienced former rugby league international but for his incredible running exploits raising millions of pounds for MND research in the name of his former Leeds team mate Rob Burrow. "Kev's decided that longer-term he's going to head in a different direction away from the England rugby team," Borthwick told journalists in a briefing at Twickenham on Thursday.

"He's going to work with the team through the Six Nations and through the summer tour. Through this first 12 months, Kev's role and what he's added as we've reset the team, you can't overstate the value he's brought, what he's done and the relationships he's built. “It's fantastic that he's continuing with the team through this period, to continue working with us and the players, helping the team in its next evolution. He will be working specifically on catch-pass skills with the kickers and goalkickers, which he does so very well."

INCREDIBLE REPUTATION Strawbridge, 59, was a skills consultant with the All Blacks, helping them to the final of the 2023 Rugby World Cup, having previously coached at North Harbour and Auckland and worked with New Zealand's highly successful under-20s team and then spending three years with Waikato.

"Andrew is another coach with a wealth of knowledge,” Borthwick said. "He has worked extensively and successfully in Super Rugby and international rugby. He has an incredible reputation in player development and has helped a large number of players progress to be amongst the best in the world. "His work around the contact area is incredibly highly regarded, ensuring teams have the quick ball needed to launch a threatening attack."

"I am also tremendously excited to start working with Felix who is a coach with an incredible reputation and with vast experience of the Irish system and the South African system." England start their Six Nations campaign away to Italy on Feb. 3 then host Wales, play away to Scotland and welcome Ireland before finishing off against France in Lyon on March 16.

They finished fourth last year after managing two wins but following a dire series of warm-ups found some form to finish third in the World Cup. Borthwick will name his Six Nations squad on Jan. 17, when he will also choose a new captain after Owen Farrell temporarily stepped down from international duty and Courtney Lawes retired from playing for England.