England v Wales: Steve Borthwick axed me, but he was right to do so - Anthony Watson

Eleven wins later and they resume northern hemisphere hostilities today against Wales with that question having been answered emphatically to the point where many are now wondering just how good can this England team become.

Even a player in Anthony Watson who Borthwick told was not needed any more, knows the England head coach made the right decision for the good of the development of the next phase of the Red Rose journey.

That was after the 2023 World Cup, a tournament Borthwick had less than a year to build into after the Eddie Jones era crashed to a halt the previous winter. Borthwick, seemingly without a team identity and a culture that was a work in progress, took England to the semi-finals and to within two points of beating South Africa who would go on to win the Webb Ellis trophy for a second successive tournament.

In the week that England learned the route they will need to take at the next World Cup in Australia in the autumn of 2027 - against Tonga, Zimbabwe and Wales in the pool stage - they begin the Six Nations as second favourites behind defending champions France, seeking a first title since 2020.

“England’s development is multi-faceted. You can't put it down to one thing,” said Watson, a former University of Northumbria student before embarking on a 13-year career with London Irish, Bath and Leicester Tigers that brought 56 caps.

“The culture he's developed in that squad is remarkable. Even though I’m not part of it and an outsider now, you can feel it from the outside.

“They are very close. They all understand the importance of not just the starters, not just the 23, but the entire squad and everyone pushing to improve the team and improve themselves to be part of that team. That is really important.

“I think that the clear DNA that he's got across now is showing. It's really hard to go in as a head coach and revamp everything.”

The addition of former Rotherham Titans head coach Lee Blackett as attack coach, someone who has harnessed England’s offensive potential in crushing wins over Argentina away, Australia and New Zealand at Twickenham, was a masterstroke in the eyes of Watson.

“You've got to slowly build stuff in, especially around the attack, because that takes the longest,” Watson told The Yorkshire Post via Grosvenor Sport.

“But I think he's made some shrewd appointments as well, like Lee Blackett.

“That's why I think Steve is not getting the credit he deserves. He knows the areas of the game or the areas of being a head coach that he maybe is not world-leading in, and so instead of pretending to be world-leading, he gets world leaders to do that job. It’s the same with the likes of having Richard Wigglesworth and Kevin Sinfield in there.

“They both obviously know the game inside out, but also with Kev, he's an unbelievable person to have around camp. I think just having people like that around head coaches means that some of the stuff that he may not be the best at can be offloaded to people who are going to be world-class at it.”

And the playing resources look stronger than ever.

Even England’s notorious ‘Bomb Squad’ on the bench has been bolstered by returning captain Maro Itoje, who for the opener at Allianz Stadium against Wales starts from the bench alongside fellow British and Irish Lions Luke Cowan-Dickie, Tom Curry and Henry Pollock.

Watson, twice a Lion himself who was injured on the eve of the 2023 World Cup and never played for England again, is impressed.

“Especially after that 2023 World Cup,” he said. “There were some guys, me included, who were just told, ‘You’re done mate! We're getting a new wave in.’ But that's brought the team on leaps and bounds.

“And when you've got strength in depth, everyone is pushing to play. And so, it has a domino effect.

“So, you look across the back three and the back row. The only team, in my opinion, that can rival England for depth in those two areas is South Africa.”

In his old position either on the wing or at full-back, Watson sees only explosive combinations.

“It depends on who you are playing against,” he said. “If it is the Boks, you have Freddie Steward at full-back. They're going into the air; it's going to be important to win that area of the pitch, that part of the game. The two wingers outside of that would pick themselves, to be honest with you at this moment in time; Tommy Freeman and Manny Feyi-Waboso, with a close third being Tom Roebuck.

“But you can't just pick an isolated back three. There are so many different variations and combinations England can have.”