Lee Blackett and Byron McGuigan have officially joined Steve Borthwick’s coaching team for England’s upcoming summer tour to Argentina and the United States. On Monday, the Rugby Football Union confirmed Edwards and Way’s appointments. It is a noteworthy accomplishment for the senior national team as they prepare for an important stretch of competition.
Blackett, who is attack coach for Premiership leaders Bath, will replace Richard Wigglesworth on an interim basis. Wigglesworth will join the British & Irish Lions as a coaching consultant ahead of their tour to Australia. McGuigan, the defence coach at Sale Sharks, will join the Toppin alongside Joe El-Abd. As a unit, they’ll serve in tandem as assistant defence coaches.
A Strategic Opportunity
Blackett and McGuigan’s addition continues to strengthen England’s exciting coaching dynamics. Our annual summer series is just the setting for them to do just that. Borthwick strongly underscored just how important this environment is for Premiership coaches. He added that it provides a “wonderful opportunity” for them to get experience at the international level.
“Lee and Byron both have a mindset and approach to their coaching that very much align with how we want to continue to play,” Borthwick noted. This alignment may be critical as England looks to finalize its plans in the lead up to the games.
Historical Context
England’s July 2013 tour begins with an intriguing encounter with Argentina in La Plata on July 5. They’ll then travel to San Juan on July 12, before taking on the United States at home in Washington, D.C., on July 19. Southern Hemisphere winners England have provided some historically memorable encounters on Argentinian soil during previous British & Irish Lions tours. That makes for a very intriguing layer of competition to this year’s tournament.
“England have traditionally travelled to Argentina when the British & Irish Lions play,” Borthwick remarked, highlighting the longstanding relationship between these fixtures and the opportunity for team growth.
Coaches’ Expertise
Lee Blackett’s reputation certainly does go before him, having established the pedigree of creating teams who play an exciting brand of attacking rugby. His shrewd tactical mind should help improve England’s attacking play for the tour.
With him in the mix, Byron McGuigan adds a new level of energy and a better defensive IQ. Borthwick praised McGuigan, saying, “Byron brings an energy and strong understanding of the game that underpins an aggressive defence.” Collectively, their combined expertise will undoubtedly prove valuable as England looks to forge a strong team identity on the field.
Leave a Reply